Weapons 01/01/20 Project A-60: what can a flying Soviet military laser
Laser weapons, appears periodically in sci-Fi movies and books, but it is not a fiction. A boom in military lasers began in the 60-ies, 70-ies of the last century. Some Russian media even reported on the existence of a new type of armament in the Russian army. However, the technique, if it exists, are still classified and hidden from the General public.
secondary weapon
In 1965 in the Soviet Union was initiated two programmes for the development of laser weapons for missile defense purposes. They are codenamed “Terra” and “omega”. Prototype testing was conducted on a closed landfill “Sary-Shagan”, next to Kazakhstan’s lake Balkhash. The first results of hard work of designers and scientists appeared only in 1982, when the alternative weapon struck radio-controlled target.
meanwhile, the military said that the traditional anti-aircraft missiles more reliable, and better able to cope with the tasks. After the collapse of the Soviet Union research was suspended indefinitely. More effective seemed to work on blinding weapons prototypes. But the prototype of the Soviet laser pistol for self-defense in space 1984 was not popular.
Pros and cons
One advantage of laser weapons is considered high range and speed close to light. This allows targets to Dodge the blow. No curvature of the projectile due to wind or gravity of the planet, there is no return. However, the power of the laser depends on the energy source and its power, which makes the operation very energy-intensive. It is difficult to overcome the dispersion effect in the atmosphere, in thick fog and overcast skies. In addition, the trajectory of the beam does not allow “mounted (artillery) fire” and overcome the obstacles. Usethe set of primitive reflective and mirror surfaces adversary could nullify the destructive force of the laser.
Air laboratory
the Design Bureau of G. M. Beriev Taganrog and the capital mill “Diamond” worked on “Project A-60”. A powerful laser was placed on the modification of the aircraft IL-76 was retractable, so as not to reduce the aerodynamic properties of the machine. The primary purpose of the flight was to study the behaviour properties of the laser in the atmosphere. Then add the scenario of destruction of enemy satellites and reconnaissance. It is known that the first test was held in August 1981. The designers have created two or three samples of the air of the laboratory, one of which burned during a fire at the airport, perhaps due to faults of the system.
Star wars
In March 1983 Ronald Reagan announced the beginning of tests SDI (Strategic Defense Initiative), which would allow not only to intercept Intercontinental missiles in the air, but also protect against attacks from outer space, for which the program was dubbed “Star wars” in honor of the films of George Lucas. In addition to defensive measures, the Americans planned to develop the so-called “lasers with nuclear pumping”.
In response to the Soviet Union Yuri Andropov authorized the use of the technology “air” projects for space purposes. In 1987 it was planned to launch the laser weapons system “SKIF-DM”, but because of an error in the electronics device after separation from the carrier rocket “Energy” fell into the waters of the Pacific ocean. In General, the ambitious projects of both American and Soviet scientists did not meet expectations. As we can see, laser weapons still have not became popular.
Ivan Komarnicki
Source:
© Russian Seven
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