The military equipment created on the basis of the concepts of the last century has approached the threshold, beyond which gigantic efforts and costs give an inadequately low result. One of the reasons is a significant increase in the energy consumption of new AME facilities. Is there a way out of the impasse?
Various types of energy (mechanical, thermal, electrical, etc.) are in demand at all stages of combat use: reconnaissance, information transfer, processing, use of weapons, protection from the enemy, maneuver, etc. Currently, generation is carried out in advance, and energy carriers delivered by MTO services. But the volumes and rates required by the troops are beginning to turn into a self-sufficient goal and problem.
In the footsteps of Tesla
The situation is aggravated by the emergence of new types of AME (electromagnetic guns, directed energy weapons). It is becoming more and more obvious that the development of the weapons system requires a change in the concepts of energy supply. Otherwise, it is impossible to realize the potential laid down in new designs.
This trend is noteworthy. On the one hand, an active development of fully electric and hybrid military equipment is underway. On the other hand, generating systems and means are being created without costs or with reduced costs of energy carriers delivered to the troops (solar panels, wind turbines, new types of fuel). At the same time, fundamental research is being conducted (especially actively in the USA and Japan) on wireless transmission of energy over long distances, which seems to be the most attractive. The idea is that a powerful source (nuclear power plant, hydroelectric power plant, etc.) feeds the receiving devices of the weapons and military equipment through the air (space) channel. The introduction of such a scheme would almost completely eliminate the need to deliver huge volumes of energy resources (fuel) to the troops, radically increasing their combat readiness and combat effectiveness.
The possibility of transmitting energy over a distance without wires was first proved and demonstrated by experiment in Colorado Springs in 1899-1900 by Nikola Tesla. The electrical impulse was transmitted 40 kilometers. However, it has not been possible to repeat such an experiment so far.
In 1968, the American space researcher Peter Glazer proposed placing large solar panels in geostationary orbit, and the energy they generate (5-10 GW) to be transmitted to Earth by a focused microwave beam, converted into direct or alternating current and distributed to consumers. …
The current level of development of microwave electronics makes it possible to speak of a rather high efficiency of energy transfer by such a beam - 70–75 percent. But this is still quite difficult to implement. Suffice it to say that the diameter of the transmitting antenna should be equal to a kilometer, and the ground receiver should be 10x13 kilometers in size for an area at a latitude of 35 degrees. Therefore, the project was forgotten, but recently, taking into account the latest technological advances, research has been resumed. Experiments on wireless transmission of energy using a laser are being carried out.
But our road train …
While the progress is not so significant with the development of new methods of generation and power transmission, then in the field of creating all-electric objects they are impressive. It cannot be said that the idea of military (and not only) technology on this basis is absolutely new. It was made economically and technically attractive by progress in the generation, storage, transformation and distribution of electricity, in high-power solid-state electronics, automation and control. All-electric facilities have less noise, higher efficiency, the possibility of rational distribution of power between consumers, high environmental friendliness and other qualities that make them very attractive in both civil and military fields.
The first machines with electric transmission date back to the beginning of the last century, when the American company LeTourneau began to use an electric drive on self-propelled scrapers. And since 1954, unique super-heavy all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles, military transporters-evacuators and multi-section road trains equipped with all leading wheel propellers driven by a generator installed on the head tractor vehicle (leader) have been produced. For the first time in world practice, they began to use powerful compact electric motors mounted directly into the wheel hubs of a car.
The first Soviet active two-section road train with a simplified electric drive of the trailer wheels was developed in 1959. But it was not possible to achieve complete coordination of the work of all driving wheels with energy sources. Further developments of other domestic enterprises also did not lead to the expected success. The stumbling block was the problem of automating the control of machines with electric transmission: rational distribution of energy flows between nodes, minimum fuel consumption of the primary internal combustion engine, optimal temperature conditions with maximum efficiency, etc. Neither the computing power of the computers of that time nor the corresponding software was enough.
The situation has radically changed in recent years and the idea of fully electric weapons and military equipment has returned to a new qualitative level. The emergence of unmanned vehicles fueled interest even more. Electric transmission makes it easier to create fully automated combat targets controlled by radio or through a programmable device.
Under the sun sail
The most urgent implementation of the concept of an all-electric facility should be recognized in naval technology. There are several reasons:
high length of power transmissions (transmissions) for various purposes, a large range of actuators and energy converters of various types: mechanical, thermal, hydraulic and electrical;
a significant number of energy consumers: drives of propeller shafts, artillery and rocket launchers, radar stations and electronic warfare systems, other mechanisms;
the emergence of weapons systems requiring high energy consumption (directed energy weapons and military equipment, electromagnetic guns, etc.).
The basis of fully electric ships is a single (integrated) power system, which includes high-voltage generation and distribution facilities, compact modules for its accumulation and conversion, automated control systems with energy consumption in various modes of operation (full speed, combat use of weapons, maneuvering, etc.). The most illustrative experience is the American program DDG 1000 and the destroyer Zumvolt built on it (https://vpk-news.ru/articles/17993). Unfortunately, many domestic media focused on the technical and technological failures of this project, taking readers' attention far away from the meaning of the ship's development and even somewhat discrediting the idea.
DDG 1000 is a hub of the latest achievements of American science and technology in the field of weapons complexes and systems. But all of them are integrated into the ship through an understanding of the characteristic features of the operation, place and role, taking into account the capabilities of the destroyer energy (Integrated Power System - IPS). It ensures the supply of all systems and units, monitors and controls their operation. The transition to full electric propulsion made it possible to free up significant volumes of internal space for the placement of ammunition, to create comfortable conditions for the crew. Steam, pneumatic and hydraulic drives of all mechanisms are completely replaced by electrical ones. The total power of the power system - about 80 MW - is sufficient for the installation of advanced weapons (laser, microwave, electromagnetic guns) without significant damage to the performance of other consumers.
The ship has a low radar signature. The effective dissipation area (EPR) is almost 50 times less than that of the previous generation destroyers. Invisible!
Control is carried out through a Total Ship Computing Environment (TSCE) with common software and a "commercial" interface, which, among other things, provide ease of maintenance and crew training. The superstructure of the Zumvolt-class destroyers is made of composite materials.
It is planned to install propeller motors using the effect of high-temperature superconductivity and electromagnetic guns on the third hull of such a destroyer. To use the railgun, the ship must provide generation with a power of 10 to 25 MW, which has already been achieved.
You can continue to list the innovations that have been applied or are planned on this ship, but the Americans already have a next generation offshore platform, which no other country possesses. So far, only French shipbuilding company DCNS has announced plans to build an all-electric combat ship Advansea by 2025.
With regard to subsea technology, hybrid or all-electric power supply was originally a prerequisite for its design, so there is no point in discussing innovations in this area in detail.
In civil shipbuilding, models are also being developed that can make do with the energy of the sun. Three concepts are implemented: the sail with solar panels located on them provides the propulsion and power supply, they are also placed on the hull for movement and extraction of hydrogen from the water, the generated energy is used to power the propeller shaft electric motors and recharge the batteries.
The cruise ship Suntech VIP of the Australian shipbuilding company Solar Sailor was built in 2010 according to the first concept. On the second - the Energy Observer catamaran, which is currently preparing to travel around the world. The third is the German Planet Solar Turanor, launched in 2010 and circumnavigated in 2012. The fully electric unmanned American boat Solar Voyager (5.5 meters long and 0.76 wide) with solar panels was launched in June 2016 and was tested. They are working on similar projects in Japan, Holland, Italy and other countries. This is still exotic, but over time it will find application in military shipbuilding.
Timid "Sprout"
Another type of military equipment, which is the most attractive for the implementation of the concept of an all-electric facility and involves the introduction of a significant number of innovative products, is aircraft. With regard to the military field, it is still more correct to talk about UAVs.
Manned all-electric vehicles have so far been developed as demonstrators of advanced technology. In 2012, Long-ESA set a speed record for electric aircraft, accelerating to 326 kilometers per hour during the test. The Swiss Solar-Impulse can fly indefinitely from the Sun (using batteries as a power source). In 2015-2016, it performed (with landings) a flight around the globe. The only aircraft used for practical purposes so far is the two-seat training Airbus E-Fan. The German company Lilium Aviation has developed the all-electric tiltrotor Lilium Jet. Flight tests took place in an unmanned version.
All these devices (in relation to the military field) can be considered as prototypes of reconnaissance devices due to their low noise level, but nothing more. The main difficulty in creating manned electric aircraft is insufficient battery capacity and sharply increasing requirements for carrying capacity due to the presence of a person on board. However, some aviation firms are already working on hybrid airliner projects. In particular, this is being done by EADS together with Rolls-Royce. The declared goals are to reduce the amount of fuel consumed, reduce harmful emissions into the environment, and reduce noise.
As for drones, among them there are quite a few completely electric ones, created both abroad and in our country (albeit on imported components), and both aircraft and helicopter schemes. The first world records have been set: the British solar-powered QinetiQ-Zephyr stayed in the air for two weeks in 2010.
Application in the military field has broad prospects: monitoring, reconnaissance and strike actions, target designation, etc. In general, the creation of such aircraft involves the solution of many innovative tasks, including the development of high-strength composite materials, ultra-large batteries, small-sized electric motors with high efficiency, automatic systems. management.
As for ground-based military equipment, here the spectrum of hybrid (a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric generator, energy storage devices, all-electric drives) and entirely electrical developments is quite wide, and domestic designers also have some success.
But, as in the previous cases, the question arises: what are the advantages? The electric transmission makes it possible to optimize the propulsion modes (wheels or tracks), steplessly adjust the travel speed and traction force in a wide range, and ensure the creation of effective anti-lock and traction control systems. This makes it possible to reduce the requirements for the qualifications and psychophysical state of drivers while increasing the basic indicators of mobility.
Electric transmissions have high characteristics of reliability, manufacturability of production, operation and repair, control capabilities. Reduces noise, increases environmental friendliness. Possibility of power supply of weapons and equipment with high power consumption of radar stations and electronic warfare systems, electrothermochemical or EMP guns, etc. is promising.
One of the tasks is the creation of powerful small-sized traction motors. The greatest success in this has been achieved in the USA and Germany, where they are made on the basis of permanent magnets using rare earth elements (samarium, cobalt, etc.) with a high degree of magnetism. This made it possible to significantly reduce the volume and weight of electrical machines, and to facilitate control.
In Russia, a wheeled combat vehicle with a hybrid power plant and an electric transmission based on the BTR-90 Rostok was created as a result of the Krymsk research project. As reported, on sea trials with an engine power almost one and a half times less than that of the prototype, an experimental model of a hybrid armored personnel carrier showed significantly better results. The fuel range is one and a half times more than that of the BTR-90.
As for unmanned (remotely piloted and robotized) completely electric objects, a huge range of samples of ground weapons and equipment has been created abroad and in our country. Their development is proceeding at an accelerated pace, due to the needs of the troops conducting hostilities in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and other regions, as well as internal needs. We have this to ensure the activities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the FSB, the National Guard, the Ministry of Emergencies, and other departments.
The concept of fully electric or hybrid AME facilities is being implemented in all advanced countries of the world. The most systematic and practical - in the USA, Germany, France, Great Britain. There are scientific and technical groundwork for the development and production of a wide range of products, which in the near future will form the basis of a weapon system built on fully electric machines. It will provide an effective, comprehensive use of weapons based on new physical principles.
The design of all-electric objects of military equipment is not a certain tribute to fashion. This is one of the main directions of the formation of the weapons system of the future. The emergence of new methods of generating, transferring and consuming energy, using it to defeat the enemy will significantly change the capabilities of troops, the nature and content of the process of their logistical and logistical support. It is alarming that in our country and the Armed Forces there is still no systematic approach to determining the list, content and results of this kind of work.
