High-energy laser weapons on modernized nuclear submarine "Virginia"
In open budget documents of the US armed forces, information has been published that high-energy laser weapons are planned to be deployed on modernized Virginia-class nuclear submarines. The initial laser power should be 300 kilowatts (with a subsequent increase to 500 kilowatts). The laser will be powered by a 30-megawatt nuclear submarine reactor. Presumably, tests are already underway for a laser for a nuclear submarine powered by an external energy source (not from the on-board network of the nuclear submarine).
The laser must be integrated into the submarine's non-penetrating periscope. It can be assumed that the laser emitter itself will be placed in a sturdy case, and the output of laser radiation will be carried out through an optical fiber, in this case, only the focusing and aiming device will be placed on the mast.
On the other hand, the United States has made great strides in miniaturizing high-power lasers - it is planned to equip Apache combat helicopters and UAVs with a 30-50 kW laser, and F-35 tactical fighters with a 100-300 kW laser. a powerful power supply, which the submarine has by default, must be integrated. In this embodiment, the laser transmitter can be integrated directly into a non-penetrating telescopic mast.
Submarine laser? It would seem absurd. After all, sea water is practically impenetrable to laser radiation. Even the near-surface layer of the atmosphere has an extremely negative effect on laser radiation due to aerosol-salt fog.
But the combat laser on the nuclear submarine is not intended for firing at submarines. Its main task is to provide air defense (air defense) of nuclear submarines. In the article “On the border of two environments. The evolution of promising submarines in the context of an increased likelihood of their detection by the enemy we examined the importance of integrating anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM) on the submarines of the Russian Navy.
For the United States, equipping nuclear submarines with air defense systems has always been a secondary task. During the years of the power of the USSR, the creation of submarine air defense systems (SAM submarines) was an extremely difficult task due to the lack of active radar homing heads (ARLGSN) and the low efficiency of infrared homing heads (IKGSN), and after the collapse of the USSR, the US fleet and aviation began to undividedly dominate the world. ocean, having the ability to provide air defense for nuclear submarines almost anywhere in the world ocean.
But everything is changing. And if the Russian Navy does not yet pose a global threat to the US Navy, then the threat from the rapidly growing Chinese Navy cannot be ignored. At the moment, the PRC is quite far behind the leading world powers both in terms of creating modern submarines and in organizing effective anti-submarine defense. But in view of the ability of the PRC industry to mass production of military equipment, there is a possibility that if they receive it in one way or another (espionage, purchase, progress in their own developments,access to critical technologies), there will be no problems with mass production, and in the shortest possible time the PRC Navy can acquire numerous and modern anti-submarine defense (ASW) aviation.
But why does the US Navy have a laser? Technologically, it will probably be easier to create a submarine air defense system, especially since such work has already been carried out both in the United States and in NATO countries. Firstly, it is possible that work is underway to create a submarine air defense system in the United States. Secondly, compared to air defense systems, laser weapons have a number of advantages:
- the ammunition of the air defense missile system is limited, and for its placement it is necessary to reduce the impact potential of the nuclear submarine, while, taking into account the power supply of the laser from the reactor of the nuclear submarine, the ammunition of the laser can be conventionally considered unlimited;
- the launch of an anti-aircraft guided missile (SAM) from under the water in any case unmasks the submarine - both at the time of launching the missile defense system and during its flight, and the laser radiation spreads "instantly" - the target has practically no time to react;
- it is much more difficult to provide protection against laser radiation (LI) than against missiles, which can be shot down by a laser defense system, deflected by means of electronic warfare (EW) or false targets. To protect against LI, you will have to redo the entire structure of an aircraft or an PLO helicopter, remove weapons inside, close sensors and pilots.
The optoelectronic periscope of the Virginia-class nuclear submarine is capable of obtaining a circular image of the surrounding space in a few seconds, and, if a target is detected, aim a laser weapon at it. Depending on weather conditions, range to the target and its maneuverability, the time of destruction of aircraft and helicopters of PLO aviation with a 300-500 kW laser will be about 15-30 seconds, which does not give the enemy time to retaliate.
Disadvantages and advantages of placing laser weapons on submarines
The disadvantages of laser weapons include the impossibility of firing a laser "from closed positions" - the target must be within line of sight. In some situations, the target can drop sharply and hide from the laser radiation over the horizon. However, this shortcoming also cannot be considered critical. If the target was initially below the horizon, then targeting the missile defense system at it is impossible without external target designation. If the target was initially on the line of sight, then it is unlikely that it will have time for a sharp change in flight altitude.
Boeing P-8 Poseidon patrol altitude is 60 meters above sea level at a speed of 333 km / h. At this height, it will be in the visibility zone of the periscope, which is extended to a height of 1 meter, and therefore in the zone of destruction of the laser, at a distance of about 30 kilometers. By raising the mast 2 meters, we will increase the view to 60 kilometers.
Also, the disadvantage of the laser as a weapon can be considered a decrease in its effectiveness in bad weather conditions. This is especially important in connection with the fact that PLO aircraft operate at low altitudes, maximally weakening the effect of the laser beam. But here we must take into account that this influence is not as great as it seems.
During tests in the United States of the Boeing YAL-1 airborne laser complex with a laser radiation power of about 1 MW, training targets were hit at a distance of about 250 km. Based on this, it can be assumed that for a laser with a power of 300-500 kW, the range of destruction will be about 80-120 kilometers. Accordingly, even if the LR power is halved due to the influence of the surface layer of the atmosphere, the estimated range should be about 40-60 kilometers. In reality, the range will be limited rather by the capabilities of target detection equipment than by laser weapons.
Placing laser weapons on nuclear submarines has its own advantages. First, it is an unlimited source of energy. The nuclear reactor of the nuclear submarine is capable of meeting all the needs of high-power lasers for electricity. Secondly, it is the ability to provide effective seawater cooling. Of course, an additional heat trail can unmask the nuclear submarine at the time of the laser weapon operation, but given the short duration of the laser operation, this is not critical. And the thermal emission from the operation of a laser cannot be compared with the volume of heat removed from the reactor. Thirdly, this is the space for placing laser weapons. Despite the dense layout, nuclear submarines can clearly find more room than tactical aircraft.
Thus, the United States can be the first to provide its nuclear submarines with unique capabilities to counter enemy ASW aircraft. And this is despite the fact that the US Navy is already the strongest in the world, surpassing the capabilities of the Navy / Navy of all other countries of the world combined.
Recalling the capabilities of American PLO aviation and the previously discussed possibility of installing submarine air defense systems on promising and modernized Russian submarines, one may ask the question: is it necessary to use laser weapons on submarines of the Russian Navy and are there opportunities for its development and production?
"Peresvet" on "Like"
As we have already considered in a series of articles on laser weapons (parts 1, 2, 3, 4), in Russia there are certain problems with the creation of modern powerful and compact lasers, primarily solid-state, fiber, liquid.
Of course, one can rely on secret developments, but the reality is that high-power lasers are in great demand in industry, where their importance is still much higher than in the military, and this is a huge market that brings huge profits to laser manufacturers. If any of the Russian companies had the opportunity to create powerful compact lasers, they would certainly be offered for industrial use, and it would be foolish not to do this, since the profit from sales allows you to move on and develop. But the Russian market is tightly occupied by foreign manufacturers: IPG Photonics, ROFIN-SINAR Technologies and others.
On the other hand, Russia has adopted the Peresvet laser combat complex (BLK). There are many questions about Peresvet, ranging from its tactical and technical characteristics. It would be extremely interesting to know at least the radiation power, its wavelength and the type of installed laser. Tellingly, this information itself is not critical from the point of view of secrecy: the same United States calmly publishes information about the types of combat lasers being developed (solid-state, fiber, free electrons), as well as their predicted power. By itself, this information does not give the enemy almost anything, since blueprints, technical processes, and so on are needed to copy. Excessive closeness speaks either of the backwardness of technologies, as in the case of Iran and North Korea, or of the implementation of a breakthrough direction, as was the case with the creation of nuclear weapons or stealth technology.
The most realistic are two options for the implementation of BLK "Peresvet". In a pessimistic version, the Peresvet BLK is implemented on the basis of an outdated type of chemical and gas-dynamic lasers. In this case, there can be no question of any placement on the submarine.
In the optimistic version, the Peresvet BLK can be implemented on the basis of a nuclear-pumped laser. This is an advanced technology that has every reason to be secret, while its use for industrial purposes is hampered by the use of radioactive fissile materials as a pumping source. In this case, could the Peresvet BLK be adapted for placement on a submarine?
First of all, it is necessary to pay attention to the dimensions of the complex - it will definitely not work to place it on the mast of the periscope. Excluded placement on non-nuclear and diesel submarines (non-nuclear submarines / diesel-electric submarines). On multipurpose nuclear submarines (SSNS), most likely, it will be necessary to cut in an additional compartment, which will significantly increase their cost, and after all, we already have very few multipurpose nuclear submarines, and they are very expensive. This applies both to the existing submarines, which can be modernized, and to the promising multipurpose nuclear submarines of the Laika type of the Husky project, the displacement of which will presumably be less than the displacement of the nuclear submarines of projects 945, 971 and 885 (M).
Probably, the volumes required to accommodate the Peresvet BLK are present in the Project 955A Borey strategic missile cruisers (SSBNs), even if for this it would have to abandon 2-4 ballistic missiles. In return, we would have received an increased stability of SSBNs against enemy anti-submarine aircraft.
The possibility of placing laser weapons in combination with the submarine air defense missile system on the upgraded Project 955A Borey SSBN was previously considered by the author in the article "Nuclear Multifunctional Submarine: An Asymmetric Response to the West."
The advantages of placing the Peresvet BLK on nuclear submarines include the availability of competent specialists on nuclear submarines who can work with radiation-hazardous equipment, which is the Peresvet BLK, if it is implemented on the basis of a nuclear-pumped laser. Well, we must not forget about the possibility of efficient cooling of the BLK with seawater.
conclusions
In the 21st century, laser weapons are moving from the pages of science fiction novels to the real world. The world's leading countries view laser weapons as one of the most important battlefield tools in the near future. In addition to traditional carriers of laser weapons, such as aircraft, surface ships and ground platforms, even such exotic platforms for lasers as submarines are considered as carriers. And the use of combat lasers on submarines can give them completely new capabilities to counter anti-submarine aviation.
Most likely, the United States possesses all the critical technologies for the implementation of a project to deploy laser weapons on nuclear submarines of different classes. At the same time, Russia has only one realized complex of laser weapons - BLK "Peresvet", the type and characteristics of which are not thoroughly known.
Based on the assumption that the Peresvet BLK is based on a nuclear-pumped laser, and its dimensions in the photo and video images, we must conclude that the Peresvet BLK can be placed without significant design changes only on the Borey Project 955A SSBN, But even this possibility can be questioned, and it is possible that at the current stage it is better to focus on the development of submarine air defense systems capable of countering anti-submarine aircraft to all types of Russian modernized and promising nuclear submarines and non-submarine / diesel-electric submarines.
Nevertheless, the laser weapon itself can become one of the cornerstones on which the power of the armed forces of the near future will be based. It is extremely important for Russia to restore the development and production of modern solid-state, fiber and other types of lasers, scalable in power and size, which can be widely used both in industry and military purposes.
