China appears to be expanding its experimentation with directed-energy weapons at sea, after new images circulating on Chinese social media showed the LY-1 laser system mounted on the open deck of a civilian roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessel. The photographs, which have not been officially acknowledged by Beijing, depict a camouflaged carrier vehicle strapped to the ship’s deck using heavy chains. Atop the vehicle is a large electro-optical turret—believed to house the laser emitter and tracking sensors—indicating that the system may have been undergoing maritime evaluation.
Although Chinese authorities have remained silent, the choice of platform is generating significant attention among defense analysts. Ro-Ro vessels, commonly used in commercial logistics, feature expansive, flat decks designed to accommodate vehicles that drive on and off via ramps. Their size and accessibility make them useful for transporting heavy equipment, and China has increasingly pressed civilian shipping into dual-use roles during military exercises. Mounting a high-energy laser on such a ship underscores Beijing’s willingness to blur civilian and military boundaries in pursuit of rapid capability development.
The LY-1 is a ground-based directed-energy system intended to disable small aerial threats including drones, light helicopters, and loitering munitions. By firing a focused laser beam, it can burn through sensors, ignite onboard electronics, or otherwise force an unmanned aircraft to fall from the sky. As modern battlefields—particularly littoral and amphibious environments—become saturated with small drones, low-cost laser defenses offer attractive advantages: silent operation, minimal per-shot cost, and near-instantaneous engagement.
Mounting the LY-1 on a Ro-Ro ship suggests that China is exploring how directed-energy weapons could function at sea in support of large-scale amphibious operations. Beijing has long emphasized preparations for a potential campaign against Taiwan, a scenario that would require rapid transport of troops, armored vehicles, and equipment across the Taiwan Strait. Because the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) lacks sufficient dedicated amphibious lift capacity, analysts widely expect China to rely heavily on civilian cargo ships—including ferries and Ro-Ro vessels—to augment its military fleet.
In such a high-risk environment, these large, slow, and lightly protected commercial vessels would be prime targets for drone attacks. Equipping them with laser systems could transform them into active defensive nodes capable of intercepting small unmanned threats before they reach vulnerable transports or landing craft. Even if the LY-1 does not replace traditional air defenses, it could complement missile and gun-based systems, reducing ammunition consumption and filling coverage gaps.
Testing a laser on a civilian ship also provides engineers with valuable data in operationally realistic conditions. Maritime environments pose unique challenges for directed-energy weapons: high humidity weakens beam strength, sea spray interferes with optics, and constant ship motion complicates target tracking. Evaluating stability, visibility, and firing arcs on an actual ocean-going vessel is essential before any frontline deployment. The presence of the camouflaged carrier vehicle chained to the deck further suggests the trial may have been focused on mobility and modularity—gauging how quickly the system can be installed or removed as needed.
China’s broader pattern of integrating civilian maritime assets into military planning gives additional weight to these latest images. Over the past decade, commercial ferries and Ro-Ro ships have appeared in multiple beach-landing and transport drills, sometimes modified with strengthened decks or added ramps to support heavier armored vehicles. This approach allows China to scale up amphibious capacity rapidly without the long construction timelines associated with building specialized military vessels. The apparent introduction of a directed-energy weapon into this mix marks a new phase in that strategy, demonstrating Beijing’s interest in using civilian infrastructure not only for logistics but also for combat-adjacent capabilities.
While the full purpose of the LY-1 deployment on a Ro-Ro ship remains unclear, the development aligns with China’s steady investment in laser technology across land, air, and maritime domains. If the trials prove successful, future civilian-military integrated fleets could feature an array of modular defensive systems designed to protect transport convoys in contested waters. For now, the images provide another insight into China’s rapidly evolving efforts to harden its amphibious and maritime operations against the growing threat posed by drones and other small aerial systems.
