The Chinese military industry is close to creating a high-speed submarine with laser propulsion, a team of engineers at Harbin University claim, reported the South China Morning Post.

The idea of using a laser in a submarine engine was first conceived by Japanese scientists 20 years ago. Its essence is that the lasers generate underwater plasma, creating a blast wave that propels the submarine at jet engine speed. Over the years, the Chinese counterparts of the Japanese have made enormous efforts to uncover the secret of the unique laser technology. And, according to Harbin researchers, they succeeded.

In order for the submarine to move quickly under water, it was decided to cover it with the best optical fibers that emit laser beams with a power of up to 70 thousand newtons, which is comparable to the performance of a jet engine with a laser power of only two megawatts. When moving, the surface of the submarine is covered with a layer of bubbles due to the “supercavitation” effect, which become a kind of lubricant, multiplying the speed of the ship.

Also, this submarine moves almost silently, as it has no mechanical noise at all.

If such a revolutionary idea can be implemented, China will become the undisputed leader in the creation of new generation submarines.