In recent years, electronic warfare systems have become a priority. The widespread distribution and importance of radio communications, radar and other technologies have made suppression systems one of the most important tools of the army. As a result, a significant number of new projects have been developed, and in addition, fundamentally new ideas for solutions are being sought. According to various sources, at present, Russian enterprises in the radio-electronic industry are studying the topic of the so-called. Microwave guns - special systems capable of hitting enemy equipment with a high-power directional beam.
The Russian industry regularly reports on its progress in creating electronic warfare systems. For obvious reasons, the bulk of such messages comes from the concern "Radioelectronic Technologies" (KRET), which included the leading enterprises of the industry. At the same time, representatives of the concern talk about both the real results obtained and about the existing plans, ongoing work, etc. As follows from the reports of officials, the topic of microwave guns is still in the early stages of development, and new projects in this area are not yet ready for practical use.
In July 2016, the KRET leadership revealed some of its views on the further development of combat aviation. Officials admitted that the promising fighter of the so-called. the sixth generation will be able to get a fundamentally new weapon that hits the target using high-power directional radiation. However, such weapons impose serious restrictions. Due to the high risks to humans, such a microwave cannon can only be used on an unmanned modification of a fighter.
Subsequently, this topic was disclosed in more detail in an interview with Vladimir Mikheev, Advisor to the First Deputy General Director of the Radioelectronic Technologies Concern, for the TASS agency, published at the end of July 2017. The specialist explained that the powerful radiation from the cannon poses a threat to humans. The plane can be equipped with the necessary protection, but this will lead to some problems. First of all, protection with sufficient characteristics will take up considerable volume and reduce the available load capacity. In addition, even powerful protection can be ineffective.
In this case, the most successful carrier of the microwave gun is an unmanned aerial vehicle with suitable dimensions and carrying capacity. Interestingly, these media requirements allow for some new capabilities. Thus, aircraft and UAVs with "traditional" or advanced weapons can be combined into groups. Pilots will have to monitor the situation and determine combat missions, the solution of which will be partly entrusted to unmanned vehicles. As stated earlier, now experts are working on such options for the operation of equipment.
In a July interview with V. Mikheev, the issue of the current state of affairs in the field of microwave weapons was also raised. The KRET representative noted that such systems already exist. In addition, new products are constantly tested in laboratory conditions. The essence of some of these checks is the use of a device, the radio waves of which disable this or that electronic device. All this allows you to determine what power and beam configuration allows you to "burn" the target device.
In parallel, the development of means of protection against enemy microwave guns is underway. The main principle of their work is to filter the excess signal. Receiving devices of the electronic system must have a filter that can pass the useful signal, but cut off everything else. In this case, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of software tuning of the filter characteristics. Without this, the enemy's electronic warfare means will be able to find a "window" and solve the assigned task.
As follows from the available data, the program for creating an aviation microwave cannon is still at the stage of theoretical development, bench research and determination of prospects. For this reason, ready-made samples suitable for operation or at least testing are not yet available, and their appearance is expected only in the future. Nevertheless, there is already an understanding of the main aspects of promising projects and the scope of application of such equipment. In addition, the future problems of such designs are known in the context of practical applications.
Apparently, the microwave gun for aviation equipment will be a suspended container with the required equipment. One of the main elements of this product will be the emitter of the required power. With its help, the gun will have to send a signal of the correct configuration to the target, capable, at least, of disrupting the operation of its equipment. In this case, the main task of the gun will not be to oppose the normal operation of the electronics, but to cause damage. The high power output should result in burnout of the target's circuits or on-board electronics.
Such a weapon, to a certain extent developing the basic ideas of existing electronic warfare means, can be used to attack various targets. So, "burning out" electronics will be useful in the fight against radar surveillance equipment. In addition, with the help of a microwave cannon, an aircraft or UAV will be able to defend itself against incoming anti-aircraft or aircraft missiles. Depending on the type of missile, the signal will have to affect the receiving devices or data processing equipment from the homing head.
In the context of aviation development, the main problem of microwave weapons is their danger to humans. The cockpit must have advanced protection, which can adversely affect the basic characteristics of the aircraft. This problem has an obvious solution in the form of the use of an unmanned vehicle, but at the moment such plans cannot be implemented. The Russian aviation industry has not yet developed heavy attack UAVs capable of carrying one or another weapon, including a microwave cannon. However, one cannot exclude such a scenario in which a suitable carrier will be created by the time a full-fledged weapon appears.
Aircraft weapons using new principles are still a matter of the distant future. At the same time, the first similar results have already been obtained in the context of the development of ground forces. Back in 2015, the United Instrument-Making Company presented to the leadership of the military department a promising land-based microwave system on a self-propelled tracked chassis. As reported on the eve of the Army-2015 forum, this prototype was built on the basis of the Buk serial anti-aircraft missile system.
According to the United Instrument-Making Corporation, a promising project envisaged equipping an existing combat vehicle with a set of new equipment. The self-propelled microwave gun was equipped with a generator of sufficient power, a mirror antenna and controls with the required capabilities. It was possible to attack targets in all directions in azimuth with different elevation angles. The possibility of all-band suppression of electronic equipment of aircraft or aircraft weapons was declared. The powerful beam was supposed to disable the onboard equipment, disrupting the enemy's combat work. It was argued that the complex is capable of hitting targets at distances of up to 10 km.
As reported, the new development could find application in the context of the development of its own radio-electronic means. The electronic warfare complex with a powerful emitter was proposed to be used for testing advanced electronic samples for resistance to external influences.
According to reports, a promising self-propelled complex was presented at the Army-2015 exhibition, however, unfortunately to the general public, it was demonstrated in a closed part of the exhibition intended only for the military and political leadership of the country. The public was not allowed to this development.
It should be noted that in the future, a microwave gun based on the Buk complex was repeatedly mentioned in new statements and messages, but the combat vehicle itself has not yet been shown. In addition, from a certain time this project has ceased to appear in new messages. The reasons for this are unknown. The lack of new data can be associated both with the general secrecy of the entire direction, and with a banal refusal to further develop the project.
According to open data and a few statements by officials, the leading enterprises of the domestic defense industry are currently working on the creation of promising microwave weapons systems. There is already at least one project of a land system of this kind, and complexes for installation on aviation equipment are being developed. However, the high complexity of the work and the specific features of such weapons lead to certain difficulties, because of which it has not yet been brought to mass production and operation.
At the same time, even in the absence of practically applicable results, current work makes sense. Within the framework of research programs and during the required tests, scientists and designers collect the necessary information, which will be used in the creation of new projects in the foreseeable future. The OPK and KRET have solid experience in the field of electronic warfare, and also continue to work in various directions. New results of ongoing work may appear in the very near future.
