Laser air defense is on the rise. How should "Skynet" develop in the future?

Recently, Russia successfully conducted a laser cannon range test and destroyed multiple types of drones. Many U.S. defense companies are developing laser weapons to intercept artillery shells, drones and other targets. It can be said that laser weapons are gradually becoming one of the most popular air defense weapons, and their uses will be more extensive in the future. However, the development of laser air defense systems also faces a series of new challenges.

The laser air defense system is mainly composed of laser emitters, optical systems, servo mechanisms and fire control systems, and uses high-energy lasers to accurately strike aerial targets. Compared with traditional air defense weapon systems, laser air defense systems have the advantages of fast response, high rate of fire, high accuracy, low launch cost, and easy reuse. In particular, they can quickly intercept multiple short-range and ultra-short-range aerial targets, and are often very effective in dealing with drones and cruise missiles that are "elusive" in today's air combat environment.

Laser air defense system

With technological breakthroughs and intensified air threats, laser air defense systems have become an important research object for the military of various countries, among which the more representative ones include the US "Guardian" and the Israeli "Iron Beam". These systems have achieved rapid response, precise strikes, low cost and high efficiency in tests or low-intensity actual combat, providing effective close-range air cover for ground forces, and can also take advantage of their adaptability and be installed on platforms such as vehicles, ships and aircraft to accurately strike small, concealed and low-altitude targets.

In addition, some miniaturized laser air defense systems have also received widespread attention. The application scope of this type of equipment is very wide. In addition to the traditional military field, it can also be used in anti-terrorism, border patrol and other occasions. For example, a portable laser air defense system is enough to intercept drones released by terrorists and criminals and stop illegal border crossings.

With the continuous advancement of technology, the power, strike accuracy and response speed of laser air defense systems will be further improved, thus playing a more important role in defending national defense security and responding to non-traditional threats. By understanding the principles, research progress and application results of laser air defense systems, researchers can also better understand the development trend of modern military technology and grasp the pulse of the times.

Perhaps due to the over-exaggeration of science fiction works, the vigorous development of laser air defense systems and even laser weapons has caused some controversy and concerns. For example, some people believe that laser air defense systems can effectively intercept missiles, drones, and even rockets, artillery shells and other targets to better protect national security, but the combat effect of such weapons is significant and not easy to control. As countries compete to develop them, it is likely to trigger a new arms race, exacerbating international tensions and regional instability.

In addition, the power of laser weapons is enough to directly cause high-energy damage to the human body, which does not seem to meet the requirements of "reducing collateral damage in weapons" that have been popular in recent years.

In fact, from a technical point of view, the current laser air defense system is not perfect and there are some difficult-to-solve problems and shortcomings.

For example, in a battlefield environment, the power supply problem of the laser air defense system needs to be solved, resulting in low power of the laser transmitter under the current energy supply level, affecting its power; mechanical systems and other equipment restrict the rapid response advantage of the laser, causing errors in aiming and tracking; in addition, the interception effect of the laser air defense system is limited by weather and environmental conditions, including atmospheric disturbances, fog, rain, snow and other factors that will interfere with laser transmission, and atmospheric attenuation cannot be ignored, making it impossible to exert its due combat effectiveness.

Therefore, after comprehensively considering its advantages and disadvantages, researchers should focus on solving core technical problems, improve the reliability and stability of laser air defense systems, and coordinate with other air defense systems to achieve the best air defense effect. At the same time, before being put into use, the laser air defense system needs to be fully tested and evaluated to ensure that it can play its due role in actual combat.

So how should researchers develop laser air defense systems? Taking into account the current technical level and needs, there are at least six aspects to work on.

First, apply new technological achievements to continuously improve the output power and beam quality of laser transmitters, and strive to achieve better strike effects.

Second, the control system of the laser air defense system involves aiming, tracking, interception and other links. It is necessary to continuously improve and optimize it to improve its accuracy and response speed.

Third, in the future, defenders will most likely face laser weapon attacks, so they should prepare for the worst and develop targeted laser protection technology to weaken the enemy's potential threats and enhance their own sustained combat capabilities.

Fourth, with the continuous advancement of science and technology, laser application technology in the military field is also constantly developing. Scientific researchers should boldly break the "barriers", explore new concepts, and broaden the application scope of laser technology.

Fifth, laser weapon combat requires efficient and precise command and control. A laser weapon combat command system should be established and improved as soon as possible to improve combat efficiency and mission accuracy.

Sixth, the development of high-tech weapons requires a large number of high-quality talents and technical reserves. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen talent training and basic technology reserves to provide strong support for the development of laser weapons.

In short, the development of laser air defense systems requires comprehensive improvements in technology, command, talent training and other aspects in order to fully adapt to the needs of future wars. Overall, the practical application of new concept weapons such as laser weapons not only involves military technical issues, but also requires researchers to comprehensively consider and weigh social and moral aspects to ensure that their development can bring positive impacts. (Author: Tian Jinchang)