Hong Kong media: China laser hunting satellite weapons and destructive beauty worries

Figure: People's Liberation Army Special Operations laser gun

Weapons development has become an important factor to decide the outcome on the battlefield, if a party to the first announcement of a new weapons technology, then the party is only trying to think how to take counter-measures. US military expert Michael Cole recently " Diplomat "magazine website in Japan, said the author, and R & D in the design phase of a new generation of weapons will again change the results of the military confrontation of the big powers, which include laser weapons. Laser weapons as a new concept weapons, excellent performance with its fast, flexible, accurate and immunity to electromagnetic interference, more and more attention of the world.

The United States and Europe continue to make progress

Some sci-fi movie aside, the laser beam (the technical term is "directed energy weapons") to become a real weapon is no longer very surprising. Has introduced advanced air defense system, ballistic missile undergoing a more severe test in the near future , UAVs will also face the same threat, because laser weapons to shoot down all these missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles. A recent example is the US Raytheon Laser recent anti-weapons system. In the British Farnborough Air Show in July 2010, the company has demonstrated the ability of this laser nearly anti-weapons systems. Allegedly, it can deal with a variety of objectives, including aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, rockets and surface ships, mainly using a 50 kW solid-state laser beam.

The US Air Force has established a "directed energy headquarters, is mainly responsible for the gamma-ray, laser, microwave and electromagnetic technology for weapons research. US Navy maritime laser demonstration program, in 2014 the construction of a ship-based laser cannons.

Existing military equipment to become the best basis for the United States to develop new weapons, such as the US Navy's Phalanx radar control close-in weapon system, the system uses more than 20 mm caliber Gatling authorities shelling off the incoming target. In contrast, laser close-in weapon system, in theory, have the advantage of longer range, and no ammunition restrictions.

Northrop Grumman also is developing a high-energy, solid-state laser weapon called the "Gamma", the objective of the operation is to destroy incoming anti-ship cruise missiles. Northrop Grumman is working with the US Air Force Air Mobility Command and empty Guard cooperation, laser defense system to be installed on the KC-135 large aircraft infrared countermeasures pod, the use of laser beams to intercept incoming ground-to-air, ship to-air missile. The US Navy is also working to develop a variety of systems to intercept enemy surface ships equipped UAV. Similarly, the US Army announced last year that they are working to develop a product called "laser-induced plasma channel" device (LIPC), the device emits a laser-guided power of up to 50 billion watts "Lightning" to destroy the target object.

In addition to the United States, the German defense company Rheinmetall also disclosed its own research and development of a laser weapon system, a few kilometers away, "shot down" incoming aerial targets. A test, the system successfully shot down in Switzerland Oxon Ebdon Proving Ground, about two kilometers away, "certain flight speed of 50 m / sec subduction unmanned drone. In another test, the system to track and destroy a running speed of 50 m / s and 82 mm Ball While steel ball is used to simulate incoming mortar shells. Related tests also proved that the breakdown of a 15 cm thick steel beam, the laser beam can be nearly a kilometer distance. Rheinmetall long time, harsh weather conditions, high humidity, and surface reflection problem, has been hampered by the designer to the laser beam into an effective weapon.

Russia started early

Due to the solid laser body to use as a power source, and the volume is small enough, it can be equipped with fighter aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, or jeep, you can maneuver operations. In recent years , rapid promotion of the solid-state laser technology makes it possible to become the first laser weapons mobility.

Michael Cole said the recent years, physicists in Russia and China in the field of high-energy solid-state laser has also made significant progress has been reported to imply that Russia is developing a system that can shoot down missiles and aircraft. According to reports , Russia has been the development of a space-based laser weapons system, the system is able to destroy the opponent's reconnaissance facilities and data processing device, can shoot down incoming missiles.

From the Soviet Union launched the earliest, the beginning of the 1960s began to research the history of laser weapons research. Soviet Il-76 transport aircraft as the basis for the development of the A60 laser anti-satellite / missile test platform, started to develop in the 1970s, and its first flight on August 19, 1981. But then the A60 laser systems were destroyed in a fire. Famous military enterprises of the former Soviet Union "diamond" (S-300 air defense systems manufacturer) has also developed over a product called "the motorized laser technology composite device" air defense system, military version has been successfully tested in the late 1980s, but Due to various reasons, the research and development of this project in the early 1990s was aborted.

In the 1980s, the Soviet Union also conducted R & D and test laser weapons in space. The spacecraft, called "Polar" a combination of two cabin by the service module and the weapons bay. In May 1987, the "Polar" launch. But last rocket did not reach its intended orbit, fall back to the atmosphere when the explosion of the 80-ton spacecraft disintegrated. Since then, the Soviet Union and then not R & D and test laser weapons in space.

View of the United States now has a more mature space-based laser weapons, Russia not far behind, and restored in recent years, the research and development of laser weapons project. It is reported that Russia still plans to develop a space-based laser weapons, the Il-76 transport aircraft as a platform. Complex weapon capable of firing a powerful laser to attack the enemy's infrared photoelectric sensor, can effectively deal with reconnaissance equipment deployed in air, space and land. However, part of the Russian military experts stressed the role of space-based laser weapons in actual combat, not due to limited funds, there is no need to allocate a large amount of military spending from other projects to the research and development of space-based laser weapons above to.

China catch up

Michael Cole to disclose in the article that the initial theory of laser weapons research began in the 1960s, is part of the mysterious 640 missile defense program. China at that time called "death ray" - "death ray" laser weapons. It was revealed in December 1963, Mao Zedong After listening to the report a 10-year science and technology plan, Vice Premier of the State Council of the State Science and Technology Commission Rongzhen stressed that "death ray, to organize a group of people dedicated to study" . Subsequently, under the leadership of the Chinese the "rocket father of Qian Xuesen, China began to study the laser cannon. In addition to the laser cannons, as well as chemical laser research, inductive energy storage.

Laser weapons for the first time the US media concern in 2006, when the authority of the US military magazine "Defense News" reported that China has been used several times in the past few years, high-performance laser weapons, the US spy satellite flew over the reconnaissance when, from the ground offensive interference, disrupt satellite and normal operation.

Not long ago, Hong Kong's Ta Kung Pao reported that research in the theory of quantum dot lasers, is a world leader, is also a world-class super-power solid-state lasers. 35K joules per square centimeter energy density laser beam can be obtained at a distance of 3000 kilometers, nearly an order of magnitude higher than attack missile destructive and effective destruction of over 30 thousand kilometers. Michael Cole said, It is believed that China has launched a state-of-the-art high-energy laser project.

In Land Warfare laser weapons, China has made significant progress. Some analysts believe that China is laser chariot, and has made certain achievements. American International Strategic Assessment Center article said that the PLA and the United States, is also studying how to move from the land to the warships, fighter planes and tanks and other combat equipment, the high-energy laser weapons.

The report said China's achievements in miniaturized laser weapons is no less favorable than the US. The traditional tank protection system with the interceptor missile to shoot down incoming anti-tank missiles, but the main battle tanks of the People's Liberation Army have been equipped with a small high-power laser weapons, it can directly attack the enemy weaponry or soldiers. PLA main battle tanks equipped with laser weapons have a double effect: can locate enemy targets low-power beam, then the power of the laser system is dramatically enhanced, with a strong laser beam attack enemy weapons guidance system; It also direct exposure to enemy personnel, making it the loss of combat capability. Chinese main battle tanks equipped with laser weapons firing angle range is greater than the tank main gun, this exchange that shows that it can be the enemy's anti-tank helicopters. In addition, the laser weapon system can also be used to communicate with the friendly tanks. Also, do not rule out the installation of the People's Liberation Army car laser system to military vehicles, motor ability tanks in order to develop a laser chariot.

Michael Cole, laser weapons as an effective air defense means, can play the role of the killer stage with disturbance, damage the ability of the enemy weaponry photovoltaic systems, the future will be developed into various flight classes target metal has damage the skinning capabilities weaponry , combat methods and means will be the most potential. Distance the laser beam into a combat weapon now fully operational, there may be a few years time, but science fiction into reality that day is near. In future, China will focus on research and development of laser weapon capable of destroying warships and tanks, rather than the construction of warships and tanks.