Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

data for: U.S. laser weapons operation diagram.

BEIJING, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) Hong Kong “Bauhinia” magazine published an article July issue, “Chinese laser weapon on the ship are suspected of speculation.” The article said that some time ago, the media have reported that U.S. military aircraft and warships on the test laser weapons, there are media reports later laser Chinese ship-borne weapons. The development of laser weapons technology from U.S. standards point of view, the foreign media too much speculation.

article excerpts are as follows:

some time ago, the media have reported that U.S. military aircraft and warships on the test laser weapons, and later another media stir the Chinese military 100KW nanosecond pulse CO2 carrier-based laser weapons, have attracted worldwide attention. The development of laser weapons technology from U.S. standards point of view, foreign media stir-fried Chinese military or naval installation of laser weapons against U.S. warships news too much speculation.

laser weapons as a new-concept weapons, with its fast, flexible, accurate, and anti-electromagnetic interference, excellent performance, multi-country world, more and more attention. Given the important role of laser weapons and status, the United States, Russia, Israel and other developed countries have invested huge amounts of money to develop a grand plan, organize a large contingent of scientists, development of laser weapons.

is a carrier-based laser weapons for use against anti-ship missiles, cruise missiles and aircraft, high-power laser weapons, from the early 1970s started to develop. By the wavelength of 3.8 micron mid-infrared advanced deuterium fluoride chemical laser (MIRACL), beam switching optics and 1.8 meters transmit aperture beam directional devices and other components. It is a modular system, weight 88.8 tons, equipped Aegis cruisers or destroyers in the deck to replace the 127 mm M045 cannon, as the ship’s fire-air missile systems to add.

the system response time of less than 1 second, laser frequency of about 0.83 Hz, in the middle of rain, fog, smoke and wave conditions against 4 km-range low-altitude sea-skimming cruise missiles or 10 kilometers optical system; the creation of a low-power laser irradiation after the destruction of the missile can be extended from 10 kilometers. The system can adapt to temperature changes (-40 ~ +54.4 ℃), humidity (0% ~ 95%), maximum wind speed of 40 kilometers, the maximum sea state four ship movement and other harsh environmental requirements. The system has hundreds of kilowatts of output power using deuterium fluoride chemical laser to destroy the BGM-7lA TOW anti-tank missiles.

latest laser can produce 2.2 megawatts of high-energy density laser beam, directional control can target and focus laser beam on the target, 100% kill probability. White Sands Missile Range in a series of inspection function of the laser radiation on the target goal of testing the static and dynamic target practice trials, successfully used the laser for 2 MW 2 to 3 km away from the flight speed of Mach 3 target shooting, successfully completed the test.

targets including cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, anti-radiation missiles, biological and ballistic missiles target bullet, one of the most significant dynamic tests in a typical combat distances with 2.2 megawatts of fluoride deuterium chemical laser successfully destroyed a speed of Mach 2.2 at low altitude to the flight of missiles. Currently, the U.S. Navy is trying to make a modular system design further, to prepare for the ship last paragraph of the defense.

U.S. carrier-based laser weapons is a more realistic subject, but soon may have some operational capability.

20 in the late 1980s, the U.S. Navy successfully conducted a carrier medium wave infrared advanced chemical laser weapons (MIRACL) trial land. The main components include deuterium fluoride (DF) medium-wave infrared chemical laser power (220 megawatts) and “Sea Stone” beam direction finder (pore size 1.8 m) and so on. After three years assembled the MIRACL energy laser weapon in 1987 to 1989, the White Sands Proving Ground conducted a series of laser weapons, target practice tests, including the destruction of a flight of Mach 2.2, “Wang Darfur” and missile tests.

according to plan, the U.S. Navy to prepare the systems installed in the ‘Aegis’ cruisers MK45 emplacement, further sea trials. In July 1995, “laser combat system” samples were placed in a U.S. warship in Somalia, but because of concerns about the provisions of the Defense Department did not order to use it. Later, the U.S. Navy in the mid-1990s to renounce the further implementation of the MIRACL program, and restart a high-energy free-electron laser weapons program. U.S. Navy move, attracted national attention, also marks its carrier-based high-energy laser weapons for the 21st century into a new stage of development.

transformation according to the U.S. Navy’s faster, more streamlined, more fighting requirements, the Navy must have to battle the future anywhere in the world ocean vessels, which can be fully effective against any threat of sea and air, can accurately Attack the enemy several hundred kilometers inland important strategic center that has a rapid fire tactics to destroy the value of the target, the ability to network multiple next-generation air, surface and underwater warfare platform joint operations.

based on this concept, the U.S. Navy to develop a new generation DD (X) destroyer led by the family of surface ships. In the design concept, DD (X) with the previous U.S. naval vessels of different design ideas, mainly for naval combat systems, hull, mechanical and electrical systems fully integrated and automated to maximize its capabilities. The number of active preparation of the ship “Aegis” guided missile destroyer, 1/3, but more powerful firepower, in addition to conventional weapons, missiles and artillery, the most innovative integrated power system for round after round of laser weapons and electromagnetic guns and the like directed energy weapons to provide support.

new concept of combat weapons including directed energy weapons, kinetic energy weapons and non-lethal weapons. Currently, the development of directed energy weapons are lasers, microwave two categories, the U.S. Navy is developing called “Sea Stone” carrier-based laser weapons programs, primarily for use against aircraft, missiles and satellites, strategic and tactical objectives, future anti-missile weapons system will become a new member.

Navy had planned to include next-generation aircraft carrier (CVN21) warships, including the installation of several new power generating capacity. When the laser weapon successfully developed and improved and the production came out, these ships will be deployed and in use. Future U.S. will be installed on ships in DDG1000 laser self-defense.

reported for the Chinese ship-borne weapons, too much speculation. China’s laser weapons are still some gaps, currently does not have combat capability.

the laser weapon as it is now the conventional weapons, mounted on tanks, ships or motor vehicles, with high technical requirements, current situation, China from this requirement there is a large gap. (Lee Night Rain)