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China shares first look of new 'graphite bomb'. It can bring down entire electrical grids
Non-lethal graphite bombs are designed to paralyse energy infrastructure without causing physical harm to them. AI-generated image used for representative purpose
China's state broadcaster has released footage of what appears to be a new type of graphite bomb, a weapon designed to disable electrical infrastructure and potentially cause widespread blackouts across targeted areas.
The video, shared Thursday by a social media account linked to China Central Television (CCTV), features an animated sequence showing the weapon being launched from a land-based vehicle. It then ejects about 90 cylindrical submunitions that appear to bounce after impact before detonating mid-air, dispersing carbon filaments.
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The filaments, according to the broadcaster, are chemically treated and intended to short-circuit high-voltage power systems, triggering power failures over areas as large as 10,000 square meters (more than 107,000 square feet). The video cited information from China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, a defense contractor affiliated with the Ministry of National Defence, South China Morning Post reported.
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The weapon was not identified by name, but its features closely resemble those of graphite bombs, a class of non-lethal munitions designed to paralyse electrical infrastructure without destroying it physically. The CCTV post referred to it only as 'a mysterious type of domestically made missile,' offering no details on its name, development stage, or deployment status.
The animation described the weapon as having a range of 290 kilometers (180 miles) and a warhead weight of 490 kilograms (1,080 pounds), suitable for targeting power stations and substations.
Online speculation quickly pointed to possible uses against Taiwan's energy systems, although officials have made no public statements confirming such intent. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) has made few public acknowledgments about possessing or developing graphite weapons.
In a 2017 article, Chen Chundi, an editor at the semi-official Modern Ships magazine, described graphite bombs as a strategic asset that could be used to paralyze enemy command and control functions by shutting down electricity grids. He said the PLA already possessed an earlier, less capable version of the weapon, and speculated that future designs would integrate satellite-guided systems such as BeiDou for increased accuracy.
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According to Chen, the shift in modern military doctrine toward disabling enemy systems—rather than engaging directly with forces—has made weapons like graphite bombs valuable for achieving indirect disruption of C4ISR networks: command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
Similar munitions have been used in past US military operations. In the 1991 Gulf War, Tomahawk missiles carrying BLU-114/B graphite warheads were used to disable up to 85 per cent of Iraq's national grid. In the 1999 Kosovo conflict, U.S. F-117 stealth aircraft dropped graphite bombs that crippled roughly 70 per cent of Serbia's electrical infrastructure, contributing to the eventual Nato-led ceasefire agreement.
China has not confirmed whether the weapon shown in the video has entered service.
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