China displays 838-pound laser weapon to arm J-36 fighter jet with missile shield

At an exhibition in Beijing, the AVIC institute presented a laser targeting system for a fighter jet, showing it next to an image of the J-36. The system weighs less than 380 kg, and its power on the poster is hidden as “*00 kW,” which may mean from 100 kW. There is no public evidence of J-36 flights with a laser.

• Targeting system weighs less than 838 pounds (about 380 kg)
• Power on the poster is listed as “*00 kW” — possibly from 100 kW
• J-36 was first spotted over Chengdu in December 2024; it has three engines
• US SHiELD program closed in 2024 without a laser pod on a fighter