Creating traditional types of weapons, scientists from developed countries pay great attention to the military products of ONFP. This abbreviation is any kind of weapon based on previously unused physical principles. To ONPP belong: radiation weapons, geophysical, kinetic, infrasound, radio frequency, gene, as well as information warfare. The main objective of the ONFP is to neutralize the enemy without casualties and destruction. The article contains information about radiation weapons.
Definition of a concept
Beam weapons are an offensive type of weapon in which the laser beam is a damaging factor.
The laser itself is a system in which the following elements are present:
- Active (or working) gas, solid or liquid medium.
- A powerful source of energy.
- Resonator in the form of a system of mirrors.
Laser weapons are a system of special devices that convert energy into pointed beams or concentrated beams. The function of these devices is performed by special generators. Energy can be electric, light, chemical and thermal. Depending on how the devices convert electromagnetic energy, a beam weapon can use a laser or a narrowly focused accelerated beam of energy-saturated particles as a damaging factor.
Operating principle
When pointing any type of beam weapon on the target, it is exposed to the destructive effects of extremely high temperature. This leads to the fact that the supersensitive elements of the object melt and even evaporate. As a result of getting a laser on a person, he has thermal burns. Also, the laser destructively affects the organs of vision.
Benefits
The advantages of this type of laser weapon include:
- Stealth. When using a laser, there are no external signs such as fire, smoke, or sound.
- High accuracy.
- Instant action. An object burns out in seconds. It takes very little time to transfer the beam to a new target.
- Straightforwardness.
- High speed. The object does not have time to evade.
- Lack of feedback.
- Infinity "ammunition." It depends only on the power of the energy source.
Laser beam application
Lasers are used in the space industry. With their help, intercontinental ballistic missiles and artificial Earth satellites are destroyed. This weapon is quite effective in tactical zones of armed conflict, where the laser is used to defeat the enemy’s organs of vision.
"The weapon of the future"
In the United States, lasers are created that use the chemical properties of nitrogen. For the “feeding" of nitrogen-beam weapons, energy is used, which is generated as a result of the combustion of ethylene in nitrogen trifluoride.
The strengths of such lasers include:
- Ecological cleanliness. Unlike nuclear weapons, radiation does not form when using a laser.
- Relative cheapness. Nitrogen in unlimited quantities is available anywhere in the world.
Rays of Death
This type of weaponry is also called "beam". This name is explained by the fact that the function of the damaging element in this weapon is carried out by charged or neutral particles (electrons, protons, neutral hydrogen atoms), collected in pointed beams and dispersed at a very high speed. In outer space, beam accelerator weapons are used to disable electronic equipment of intercontinental, ballistic and cruise missiles. When conducting ground combat operations using beams, enemy military equipment is destroyed. In addition, accelerator weapons adversely affect manpower. They are primarily affected by blood hemoglobin, enzymes of the nervous system, water molecules in living organisms.
According to US military experts, the United States has the ability to effectively operate from space on large areas of the earth's surface with the help of accelerating beam weapons. The massive damage to people and other living organisms located in the territories covered could potentially result from such an impact. Unofficially, this type of weapon is called the "death rays."
History of creation
In the first half of the 20th century, the idea of using transformed into focused rays of various types of energy was dealt with by the Serbian scientist Nikola Tesla, who lived in America at that time. Tesla's beam weapons were based on a completely new physical principle, which had not yet been applied in his previous inventions for the transmission of electric energy over long distances.
In the scientist’s developments, the energy transmitted in the atmosphere was focused using a beam on a specific object. According to the physicist, using a laser beam it is possible to destroy from a distance of 400 thousand meters up to 10 thousand units of enemy aircraft. To generate the beam had to create special stations worth $ 2 million. According to the scientist, it would take at least three months to build them. Dr. John Trump, who served as the head of the US National Defense Committee, perceived such statements as speculative and lacking the ability to implement them. Wanting to balance the world balance and prevent the outbreak of World War II, in 1940, N. Tesla invited the US government to reveal the secrets of its "super-weapons." Not having received proper understanding in America, the scientist with similar proposals turned to the governments of other states. The invention of the physicist aroused interest in the Soviet Union. At negotiations with N. Tesla, the interests of the USSR in the USA were represented by Amtorg. For 25 thousand dollars, a Serbian inventor sold plans for the manufacture of vacuum chambers used in radiation weapons to Soviet scientists. In the USA, the physicist became interested in the invention only after his death. FBI agents searched the scientist’s office and seized all of his documentation.
Soviet developments
The design and testing of the "death ray" was carried out in strict secrecy. Only in 1960, the general public for the first time could see what a laser weapon is. During the years of the Cold War, rival Soviet and American scientists intensified their work to create their own "death rays." In both countries, very large sums were invested in these projects. The tests did not stop even after the end of the Cold War.
In order to provide strategic anti-space and anti-missile defense with a new, very effective and powerful weapon, Soviet scientists already in 1950 launched projects to create the Terra and Omega super-powerful laser weapons. The test site was the Kazakhstan Sary-Shagan training ground. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, all work at this training ground was discontinued.
First demonstration
In 1984, using the Terra laser radar, the American shuttle Challenger was irradiated. As a result, the communication and electronic equipment of the ship were disrupted. In addition, crew members reported a deterioration in well-being. The Americans realized that they became the object of electromagnetic interference from the Soviet Union. For the entire period of the Cold War, this episode using radiation weapons was the only one.
Soviet self-propelled laser systems
In the 80s, scientists of the USSR developed a program for the combat laser system of the self-propelled compression system. Design was carried out by employees of the NGO Astrophysics. The complex was intended to burn through the armor of enemy tanks and disable their optoelectronic systems.
In 1983, on the basis of the Shilka self-propelled gun, a new Sanguin laser system was developed. Its task: to destroy the optical systems with which enemy helicopters are equipped.
In addition, Soviet scientists specially made for the astronauts several units of hand-held laser weapons. However, these non-lethal carbines and pistols were never needed. They lay in warehouses until 1990.
American laser YAL-1A
In the middle of the last century, US scientists designed the YAL-1A laser specifically for the Boeing-747-400F. His task was to destroy enemy ballistic missiles. Despite the fact that this laser weapon was successfully tested, it was not practical to install it on an airship. This is explained by the fact that the maximum range of YAL-1A does not exceed 200 km. The Boeing-747 pilot will not approach the enemy even if he has even the smallest air defense system.
HEL MD
In 2013, the United States developed a new beam weapon. Its power is 10 kW. In 2017, the new laser has already passed its baptism of fire in the Persian Gulf. With it, one unmanned aerial vehicle and several mortar mines were shot down. By 2020, American scientists plan to improve this laser. Ultimately, the HEL MD system will be a 100 kilowatt installation.
Israeli laser missile defense system
In this country, scientists are also developing powerful missile defense lasers. Palestinian terrorists used Kassam rockets to attack Israel. At this time, the United States launched the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) program. The American company Northrop Grumman in the late 90s, together with Israeli scientists, was developing a laser missile defense system Nautilus. It was planned that the armed forces of Israel will use it to protect against Palestinian missiles. However, Israel soon left the SDI, and the laser system did not enter the arsenal of the state.
Russian beam weapons
According to Deputy Minister of Defense Yuri Borisov, in 2014, several laser systems were specially adopted for ground vehicles, helicopters, combat aircraft and ships. What they are, as well as information about their number at the moment is not disclosed. Today, the Russian army is testing the A-60 laser system, which they plan to equip the Il-76 aircraft in the future. The place of the laser was the bow of the airship. During the tests, it turned out that the "weapon of the future" is ineffective in foggy and cloudy weather and needs to be improved. Also, high cloudiness and snow adversely affect beam quality.
Nevertheless, this type of weaponry is considered the most promising. In good weather conditions, the range of the A-60 war beam is 1, 500 km. It is effective for the destruction of ballistic missiles, enemy aircraft, tanks and air defense systems. As Russian scientists are planning, missile defense systems of the Russian Federation will be equipped with improved weapons in the near future.
