A photo from open sources
Laser complex 1K17 “Compression”.
Russian Ministry of Defense Decides to Resume Development combat aviation laser capable of hitting planes, satellites and ballistic missiles. Over the creation of the Russian “beam death “will work concern air defense” Almaz-Antey “, aviation Beriev concern, as well as the Khimpromavtomatika company. USA abandoned the development of an aircraft laser in 2011, calling the project is inapplicable in practice and too costly. Development combat lasers in the USSR began in 1965. In 1973 for these goals established a special design bureau. First laser an air-based installation was placed on an A-60 airplane, created on the basis of the IL-76 transporter. Your first laser flight aboard the A-60 made in 1983. Already in 1984, Soviet pilots hit the first air target with a combat laser. In the 1990s tests of a combat laser froze due to lack of funding. The work in the design bureaus was actually on a personal staff driven. On the resumption of aviation development laser in 2009 declared a valid academic adviser Academy of Engineering Sciences of Russia Yuri Zaitsev. As became known in the summer of 2010, it was all about the same A-60 air laboratory, on which they placed a “blinding laser.” The task of such an installation there was an impact on ballistic homing optical heads rockets and satellite surveillance systems. However, information about did the engineers succeed in any development blinding laser, no. In 2011, the project was again left without financing, and equipment from the A-60 aircraft partially dismantled.
A photo from open sources
A-60 aircraft. Photo from russianplanes.net
According to a representative of the Russian defense industry the complex referred to by Izvestia, financing laser developments in the interests of the Ministry of Defense resumed. More in addition, on the A-60 (so far only one of two has survived similar aircraft, created in 1991) will establish a more powerful laser. According to the publication, we are talking about new installation units 1LK222, developed by Chempromavtomatika jointly with Almaz-Antey. In the ground version, an installation called The Falcon Echelon is ready and will begin testing in 2013. IN in particular, the laser gun will be tested for efficiency in case of differences pressure, temperature and overload. To be placed on board a new A-60 laser system will undergo modernization in 2013. how Izvestia noted, the Defense Ministry has not yet decided on which planes are planned to install combat lasers in the future. Among possible options are considered military transport airplanes and bombers. However talk about applying aviation lasers on military aircraft is still too early. First the military will have to make sure promising performance installation. In theory, a new aviation laser should have sufficient power not only to blind air targets, but and for their direct destruction. “The laser will burn the enemy’s high heat output. He must act in air and airless spaces. Lasers are seen as promising armament of unmanned hypersonic flying spacecraft or space platforms, “said the source Izvestia. To provide the laser necessary combat efficiency Russian engineers will need reliable and powerful energy sources. The quality of the combat laser also directly depends from high-precision beam guidance and stabilization systems to its beam retention on target. In addition, the power of the laser beam depends on atmospheric conditions – after all, a laser beam is only concentrated beam of light. So, the laser range actually limited to line of sight. With increase suspended air distances and atmospheric phenomena reduce power ray. In addition, the so-called “breakdowns” that drastically reduce its power, and when used too powerful installation there is a risk of laser self-focusing beam in space. These and other difficulties have already been encountered. Americans who abandoned the development of combat in 2011 aviation laser. Project of laser installation of air the Pentagon was called unrealizable in practice and too costly. Experiments with an aircraft laser gun in the USA carried out on the basis of a modified Boeing cargo plane 747-400F, which received the YAL-1 index. First air test ballistic laser beam installation took place in 2009 year. It was not possible to shoot down the target, although located on it systems confirmed an accurate hit. First successful trials Americans fighting air laser held in February 2010 of the year. Two ballistic missiles were used as targets – solid fuel and liquid. Installed on a Boeing YAL-1 the laser gun fired in three stages. Infrared sensors first found a rocket at speed, then an auxiliary (less powerful) the laser was aimed at the target and assessed the state of the atmosphere. For missile lesions used a single main laser megawatt. In total, the operation to destroy the first rocket took about two minutes. The second target was shot down in the same way later. hour. Despite the rejection of the development of aviation laser guns, The United States continues to create ground-based combat lasers. Promising The Pentagon generally pays special attention to military technology. TO For example, in the interests of the US Navy, Boeing and BAE Systems developing a stationary 10-kilowatt laser system, combined with a conventional 25 mm gun. In addition, BAE Systems is developing an electromagnetic gun (railgun) for American Zumwalt-class destroyers. German unit MBDA in September 2012, in turn, reported on successful testing of a 40 kilowatt laser gun. how it was noted that the installation burned a mortar shell in a few seconds and a 40 mm thick steel plate. Previous gun power of 10 kilowatts successfully hit targets at a distance of 2.3 kilometers and a height difference of 1000 meters. Israel declared intention to equip with laser (or electromagnetic) installations new generation of main battle tanks Merkava. In Russia, development ground-based lasers were also conducted, but little is known about her fate. In particular, in the early 1990s, a prototype of a mobile laser gun designed on the basis of a self-propelled howitzer Msta-S. At the heart of the project, which was called 1K17 “Compression”, a multi-channel solid-state laser was used. According to one of versions specifically for the “Compression” artificial a cylindrical ruby crystal weighing 30 kilograms. On the other version, the body of the laser was yttrium aluminum garnet with additives neodymium. After the collapse of the USSR, the Compression project, like many others similar bold undertakings, was frozen. However, given the increased Ministry of Defense’s interest in promising developments and ground and air laser systems can now well get a second life. Just for such purposes in October 2012 On the initiative of Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, the Foundation was established Advanced Studies (FPI). And money for the “high risk research and development “government seems to be will not regret it.
Lasers Missiles Russia Aircraft USSR USA
