Energy and plasma weapons. Promising weapons developments
If you ask the first person you meet on the street what a plasma weapon is, not everyone will answer. Although fans of science fiction films probably know what it is and what they eat it with. Nevertheless, we can say that in the near future humanity will come to the point where such weapons will be used by the regular army, navy and even aviation, although now this is difficult to imagine for many reasons. Let's talk about promising weapons developments.
General Information and Concepts
Despite the fact that we are used to hearing about energy and plasma weapons from films, the first prototypes and tests have been carried out for decades. Another thing is that the authorities try to keep such information secret. This, in principle, is not surprising, because the arms race, in fact, continues, and whoever succeeds will have an advantage. In Russia, for example, since 1972, development of a combat laser has been underway. It was successfully tested. Today, which can hit aerial targets such as ballistic missiles, aircraft, satellites, etc. In particular, the Khimpromavtomatika company is engaged in such developments. Currently, plans are underway to build the world's largest laser, which will be located in the city of Sarov. Its dimensions will be very impressive, we are talking about two. At the same time, there are no analogues either in Europe or in Asia. In general, plasma weapons look very promising compared to firearms. But it will develop and improve over the course of decades.
and development
It is much better to consider several specific projects rather than talk about something that does not yet exist. For example, howitzers remain as popular as they were 50 years ago. That is why many countries are constantly improving such technology. A striking example of this is the Panzerhaubitze. This artillery installation is perfect. This gun is 8 meters long and carries 52 rounds of ammunition. This howitzer allows you to destroy a heavily armored target with one salvo and immediately leave your position. The rate of fire of this combat vehicle is also surprising, which is 1 shot per 3 seconds. True, then the tempo drops significantly to a shot in 8 seconds due to the heating of the barrel. Today it is the best 155 mm howitzer, firing at a range of 30 km or more. A projectile with improved destructive capabilities was developed especially for this artillery. We can safely say that this is a deadly modern weapon, which is designed to destroy the enemy with one salvo. Well, now let's return to our topic.
Weapons of the future and everything about it
Today, almost no one doubts that sooner or later there will be a Third World War. According to many experts, they will fight there with lasers and energy weapons. Most of the development of such weapons is carried out in the UK and the USA. So, some tests have already been carried out, and, as practice has shown, energy weapons (many call them pulsed) cope well with enemy communications and air defense installations.
Microwave high-energy weapons began to be developed back in 1990. Pulses directed at an electrical object should disable it for a while, and, in priority, forever. In fact, such weapons do not harm humans. It is worth noting that the pulses are capable of hitting fortified objects, as well as bunkers located underground.
Lasers are already working
If energy weapons are easier to find in any project today, then lasers are already installed on some equipment. In particular, the United States is interested in such developments. One of the guns successfully passed tests and was installed on board the aircraft. From the air we managed to hit a car standing on the ground. At the same time, the beam guidance system worked without deviations. The Boeing company, which makes such dangerous weapons, has previously tested lasers. This happened back in 2010, in laboratory conditions. Even then it became clear that the use of laser guns would save many military personnel.
Well, what about Russia, you ask? Despite the fact that any information about the development of laser and energy weapons is practically absent, not everything is so bad. We can say that we have dangerous weapons, and they are truly deadly. Take, for example, the new generation Armata tank, which has no analogues in the whole world. We will soon have electronic pilots, “smart” rockets, all this is not development, but reality, which will be discussed a little below.
Latest Weapon Developments
If now there are weapons of the 3rd and 4th generations, then soon it is planned to install 5th generation systems. It is for this simple reason that it is too early to talk about the 6th generation. But if you look into the near future, say, in 2016, then Russia has succeeded and has something to brag about. First of all, this is the T-50, which is planned to be delivered in 2016. It is made using stealth technology, which means it will be difficult to detect by radar. There will also be fundamentally new avionics integrated with an electronic pilot. Now all this seems unimaginable, but such systems have already been tested and are working.
But this is not all the capabilities of the T-50. It can reach supersonic speed without afterburner, and is also equipped with a complex called “Himalaya”. Today, only the US Air Force has 5th generation fighters in service, but development is underway in China and Russia. Such units are very expensive, but with all this, their capabilities are very large.
Drones of the future
Today, people are increasingly thinking about how to make a full-fledged aircraft, but without a crew. The drone is not yet one, however, modern developments indicate that this is a serious and effective technology. The main tasks facing the designers are to install powerful weapons and make it possible to rescue the wounded or hostages. The United States is actively developing drones. Such drones will still be auxiliary on the battlefield, but despite this, they will be extremely useful. They will transport cargo, transport the wounded, conduct reconnaissance and destroy unarmored targets. The Americans plan to create drones that can help in any situation, regardless of weather conditions and conditions. In addition, the ability to conduct electronic warfare is important. Therefore, it is quite possible that such new secret weapons will be equipped with pulse cannons.
Armata combat platform
As noted above, things are not so bad with us. Russia is a leader in the production of Armata combat platforms, which belong to the 5th generation. Until recently, it was a mystery what kind of tank would appear at the Victory Day parade. Now we know that this is the Armata tank, which has no analogues in the whole world. After what they saw, the Americans immediately thought about modernizing their equipment, which, in fact, is not surprising. The tank crew is located in an insulated capsule, which protects people from fire and shrapnel. Nevertheless, the Armata’s armor is capable of withstanding a direct hit from any existing or future weapon. The tank itself is armed with a 125-mm cannon, which fires. The vehicle is controlled digitally, and the gun is controlled remotely. It is very convenient, safe and effective.
Grozny "Prometheus" S-500
5th generation anti-aircraft missile systems are already available in Russia. These are the S-500 Prometheus complexes. This is an impressive weapon that is also multi-functional. The S-500 is capable of hitting interballistic missiles in space. "Prometheus" is, without any doubt, a very promising weapon. Surface-to-air missiles are capable of hitting a target located at an altitude of 3.5 thousand kilometers, flying at a speed of 5 kilometers per minute. Another surprising characteristic of Prometheus is that it allows it to hit about 10 supersonic missiles at a distance of 600 kilometers. Despite the fact that the S-500 is already in the Russian Federation, they are not in service. It is planned to deliver them to the army in 2016. According to many experts, the S-500 by itself is not capable of changing the course of the battle, but in combination with other defensive weapons, the Prometheus will become a reliable barrier protecting the air borders of our country.
Hypersound is a reality
In fact, it is difficult to say anything about what modern weapons the United States has. Obviously the most interesting remains a secret. However, it recently became known that the Americans are developing and testing the X-51A Waverider. These are hypersonic missiles that are capable of reaching speeds of about 6.5-7.5 thousand km/h. The first tests did not bring any results. But already in 2013, the rocket flew approximately 500 km in 6 minutes. In the end, we managed to reach a speed of about 5 thousand km/h. Russia is also carrying out similar work, but we are at an earlier stage. Well, now let's move on.
Precision weapons and robotics
Of course, advanced weapons developments are carried out every day. But special attention should be paid to robotics, as they are talking about it more and more. How convenient is it to replace a soldier with a robot that would make decisions more quickly, not make mistakes, and shoot more accurately? But this is still on the verge of fantasy. However, the Russian SAR-400 will soon be indispensable on the battlefield. He can defuse bombs, serve as a repairman and scout. It has no analogues in the world.
Conclusion
So we talked about weapons of the near future and the present. Of course, plasma weapons are unlikely to be used yet, nevertheless, their development is underway. In particular, there are many limitations associated with it not being as durable as we would like. Nevertheless, plasma weapons will appear, but it is unknown when. The same applies to energy weapons. But all this in the near future will not be able to replace the powerful guns of tanks and howitzers that fire shells. The same applies to combat aircraft, bombers and other military equipment. Of course, it is difficult to say what will happen tomorrow, let alone discuss the appearance of plasmatrons. In addition, it is now difficult to imagine exactly how and under what conditions plasma for ammunition will be produced. The same applies to the cost of the substance.
Like a bolt from the blue, information came out today that Russia has tested an electronic weapon that has no analogues in the world. All the media announced that our weapons developers had created something so incredible, secret and cutting-edge that there was no point in saying anything about it at all. Life journalist Mikhail Kotov tried to figure out what kind of miracle this is, and is it really a miracle?
Try to get me something that cannot be
It all started with RIA Novosti, which reported how Russian manufacturers created electronic weapons that have no analogues in the world. Behind this loud, but completely clichéd name was hidden the news that this miracle weapon was created on “new physical principles.”
It is unlikely that what was meant was “new physics” (aka physics beyond the standard model), which describes such theoretical problems as the origin of antimatter and neutrino oscillations. Most likely, the journalist simply did not know how to express the wow effect of the information received.
By the way, there is no information yet. At all. Even for small news. It is reliably known that a certain "official representative of the enterprise - the developer of the new system - the United Instrument-Making Corporation (incidentally, part of the Rostec state corporation"), with a completely classified name and surname, spoke about the creation of a new weapon that "neutralizes enemy equipment without the use of traditional weapons, projectiles using directed energy."
It sounds cool, and many publications hastened to spread this news, as if playing “broken phone.” If you think sensibly, then the invention of “new physical principles” is, firstly, a Nobel Prize, although this year it has already been awarded, but the Rostec people still have time to collect documents for participation in the next one. Secondly, this is recognition from the whole world, the onset of the future and a serious foundation for a dozen science fiction films. However, it’s worth dealing with this in order.
“Actually, I still have a lot of energy.”
In general, as we remember from the school physics course, energy is a scalar quantity, a single measure of various forms of motion and interaction of matter. In principle, any defeat of enemy equipment and manpower occurs with the help of directed energy. The simplest case is a sub-caliber projectile, just a blank, accelerated to enormous speed and possessing high kinetic energy.
One of the types of American THAAD missile defense missiles works on exactly the same principle: they do not have a warhead with explosives, only a blank accelerated to enormous speeds that rams an enemy missile. However, in this case there is energy, and it is also kinetic.
The explosion of the warhead of a projectile or rocket is also a process that involves the release of energy. Like a chemical explosion of a projectile warhead, like a nuclear explosion realized due to the energy released in nuclear reactions.
The laser, which the Americans are now so seriously developing, is also a narrowly directed beam of radiation. It uses the energy received from pumping and turns it into a "battle beam". In this case, the energy is directed in no way.
The passage said by an unknown “specialist” makes no sense at all even at the everyday level of understanding things, not to mention serious research in the field of physics and modern weapons. The second option is also possible, that his words were incorrectly interpreted by the journalist, this also happens, alas.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Sergey Pyatakov
Combat microwave
If we discard the most incredible theories and take a closer look at the words about “indirect physical effects on on-board equipment of aircraft, drones and the neutralization of high-precision weapons,” then most likely we are talking about some kind of option for using ultra-high frequency (microwave) or microwave weapons. It is difficult to call it the latest physical principles; last year marked 150 years since their discovery by the English physicist Maxwell.
Electromagnetic weapons include a railgun (we throw it away because of the shells), an electromagnetic bomb (already closer, but the energy does not strike in a direction, but everything around) and a “microwave gun” - a powerful and compact microwave emitter with explosive energy pumping. Most likely, this is exactly what we need.
The only problem is that weapons based on this principle have already been created, and created precisely by Russian developers. This is the Afghanit active defense complex, which will be equipped with T-14 tanks on the Armata platform. It contains many elements that should help the tank survive an enemy attack: a smoke-metal curtain, a special aerosol that makes the tank invisible in the infrared spectrum, and heat traps.
In addition, the Afghanit includes a stationary electromagnetic pulse (EMP) generator on the roof of the tank and an EMP grenade with a shock wave emitter. The electromagnetic radiation they create disables the homing head (GOS) of precision-guided munitions. Currents and voltages arising as a result of a powerful impulse in electronic circuits lead to its breakdown.
New weapons, old problems
The main problem with such weapons, as with any weapon using electromagnetic waves, is that high energy is required, and the radiation flux weakens very much with distance. Alas, these are “old physical laws” and no one has yet been able to circumvent them. The main solution at the moment is to create a pulse of high power, but very short, nanosecond duration. The problem remains the clear direction of microwave radiation, which also does not want to move “in a new way” and, like all waves, spreads in all directions, ensuring rapid attenuation.
Just like laser weapons, electromagnetic weapons are awaiting a breakthrough in the creation of batteries and energy storage devices. Those that exist now greatly increase the mass of weapons and are not very effective. It is possible to assume that the creators of the “miracle weapon” managed to bypass all these points, but it is very unlikely. In laboratory conditions, it is already possible to create powerful pulse generators, but history does not yet know the real weapons that use them.
Rostec - the birthplace of elephants
And now for the umpteenth time “unparalleled”. The legend is fresh, but in America, the creation of electromagnetic weapons is one of the most popular areas. As part of the program to create “weapons of controlled effects,” there are working and operational samples of the ADS (Active Denial System), which is an installation that emits electromagnetic oscillations in the millimeter wave range with a frequency of about 94 GHz.
Such radiation has a shock effect, the skin heats up and turns red, causing pain to those caught under the radiation and forcing them to run away. It is a non-lethal weapon and can operate at a range of up to 500 meters. However, any water-containing objects provide excellent protection against such weapons, and this can be realized even in field conditions.
The main thing: do not demonize electromagnetic weapons, as was done in an article in Expert magazine two years ago. Let’s just quote and let you laugh: “High-frequency EMO can also affect the skin and internal organs of a person. Moreover, as a result of their heating in the body, chromosomal and genetic changes, activation and deactivation of viruses, transformation of immunological and behavioral reactions are possible.” Sorry guys, no, electromagnetic weapons will not turn you into Spider-Man, Hulk, Magneto or Wolverine. It will just hurt, really hurt.
The military industry is a very specific and closed area. The data that journalists receive is often fragmentary, unverifiable and contradictory. Therefore, you should be skeptical and very attentive to any statements, especially from “very secret” speakers.
SUCCESS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTROMAGNETIC WEAPONS/
DIRECTED WEAPONS
David Alexander
Dynamically transformable tactical capabilities that enable electromagnetic battlespace dominance catalyze innovative future military initiatives. The totality of these innovations promises, in some cases, revolutions that could change warfare and doctrine as radically as the transition from deck guns to guided missiles that changed tactical and strategic calculations in the previous era.
“This weapon, which delivers destructive energy to the target at the “speed of light” and throws a destructive element due to forces “created using an electromagnetic field, promises to radically change the nature of war at sea and when affecting land targets,” said the rear admiral Jay Cowan, Chief of Naval Research, in a policy report in mid-June 2003.
Electromagnetic weapon technologies are a high-level class of weapons, a prototype of which, integrated into the system, is designed to determine the damaging factors in tactical operations. The technologies used make it possible to create systems that throw a striking element with hyperkinetic, ultra-high-speed effects due to electromagnetic energy. Such systems are electromagnetic rail guns ( EMRG ) and coil guns, which together are generally classified as kinetic weapons ( KEW ). Other uses are electromagnetic aircraft launchers, artillery with hyperspeed projectiles and hypersonic airborne strike systems for strategic strike operations, which illustrate the achievements of fifth-generation weapons compared to conventional warheads and used submunitions in long-range cruise missiles.
Directional weapons ( DEW ) represents a category of advanced weapons in which electromagnetic energy is used as the actual destructive element of the system, and is not used as a cause that imparts kinetic energy to projectiles. These latter systems are exemplified by the use of high-energy lasers (HEL), CB-H high-power microwave (HPM) devices, and radio frequency munitions (RFM), otherwise called "e-bombs", which function by generating conventional electromagnetic pulses (N-N-EMP) radiation energy with sufficient power to impede and destroy the electronic and digital systems that determine the functioning of many civilian and military systems. Laser weapons can be said to be a separate class of weapons known as fast light weapons ( Speed of Light - SOL).
In the United States, funded by the Department of Defense or the Defense Advanced Planning Agency ( DARPA ) technological strike initiatives have led to the development and improvement of the existing scientific and technical base and the creation of new experimental military systems for tactical use, as well as the defense of the strategic sector of high importance against ballistic missiles ( BMD).
In the 1980s, directional weapons were believed to be at the very center of President Reagan's strategic defense initiative. In recent years, the Bush administration has enabled a transformation of defense programs, a generational leap in military technology, and the production of field-ready directional weapons systems for use in ballistic missile defense. Another driving factor in the development of speed-of-light weapons technology is its applicability to the needs of rapid movement of troops and equipment in support of the global strike doctrine, which is based on the concepts of ultra-high speed and stealth. Directional weapons are by far the most logical solution for space-based weapons systems if space weapons are to be weaponized.
In addition to the special requirements for defense against ballistic missiles and possibly warfare in space, interest in directional weapons is motivated by the understanding that the ultimate limit effectiveness of the development potential of existing cumulative explosive munitions has already been achieved. Conventional gun weapon systems face greater limitations when used to perform increasingly critical C-RAM (counter-missile/artillery/mortar) missions, and next-generation robotic combat systems (faster, more agile, more capable of stealth, and more maneuverable than human-controlled systems, as well as those operating in dismembered formations) will be increasingly difficult to defeat with existing weapons systems of the modern generation.
Although in today's model there is undoubtedly a large share of " Buck- Rogering", as was the case during the heyday of SDI, but it is not denied that the development of kinetic weapon systems ( KEW ) and directional weapons ( DEW ) next generation is a pivotal event in the global execution of transformative warfare doctrine.
The following sections provide an overview of the current state of the art in different sectors.
Kinetic weapons
This class of weapons, discussed earlier, is also known as electromagnetic weapons ( EMW ), weapons created on electrical principles ( EEW ), or electromagnetic guns ( EMG ). There are three main conceptual types: rail guns, coil guns and electrothermal guns. The first type is the oldest. The earliest known reel cannon, which reportedly fired a metal rod approximately 20 m, was made around 1845. The rail gun is attributed to a French inventor who received three patents in 1920. Successful experiments with modern versions adapted for creating weapons began in the 1940s and 1950s, and during these same years work began on a third type - electrothermal guns.
Although numerous concepts and variants have been developed, all electrical weapon systems operate on essentially the same principle of magnetic interaction between two electrically charged coils creating a projectile-propelling force, and have three main components: a power source, a trigger ( or barrel) and projectile. In rail guns, the place of coils is taken by electrolyzed rails, and in electrothermal guns the propellant material, for example polyethylene, is overheated and evaporated into a high-pressure plasma, which accelerates the projectile through the launcher. Projectiles can be made from any material and, indeed, many materials have been used, including metals, nylons and polycarbonates.
While all three types of electromagnetic weapons have their own capabilities, railguns have emerged as internationally recognized as the most feasible options for conversion and field adaptation of weapon systems and are currently the subject of renewed development efforts.
Railguns
Electromagnetic rail guns operate by generating high-energy pulses along parallel rails, one of which is negatively charged and the other positively charged. When current is applied to the rails, it oscillates between them along the conductive or surrounding armature of the projectile at its base to the opposite rail and back in the opposite direction. This generates an excitation current that creates a “projectile-pushing force known as the Lorentz force,” named after the Dutch physicist Hendrik A. Lorentz who discovered it. Covering the distance to the target with hyperkinetic speed, most of the projectile mass is converted into energy due to the force of impact, creating dramatic damage to the target without relying on the energy of the explosion of the projectile head. The transition of mass into energy is exceptionally large: for example, a projectile weighing about 3 kg that hits at the number Maxa 5 (about 1700 m/s), will release destructive energy equivalent to detonation when hit by a cruise missile warhead TOMAHAWK.
The main considerations in the design of rail guns dictate certain conditions: they must be constructed from strong conductive materials such that the rails can withstand the enormous loads caused by the extreme pulse heating from the high current load and the friction of the accelerating projectile as it rushes between the rails.The rails must withstand both recoil and shear forces without bending or other deformation, and thus be durable and securely installed.
Power supply considerations are of paramount importance. A compatible power source must deliver extremely high power current pulses, measured in joules, to provide muzzle energies sufficient to propel a projectile at muzzle velocities suitable for military use. The trigger also becomes extremely hot due to the stresses experienced by the barrel during firing, including friction, which also has an ablative effect on the inside of the trigger (wear). This dictates that such units not only must be made of heat-resistant materials, but must also be mounted or housed in a heat-slow or heat dissipating matrix, for example, from composite multilayer materials, which are used in the latest prototypes.
Electromagnetic rail gun technology was researched in the Warfare Laboratory of Technological Strike Control Initiatives DARPA during the research and development of core SDI technologies more than two decades ago. Vision CO ANDrequired the development of orbitally deployable electromagnetic rail guns to track and destroy incoming ICBMs ( ICBM ) with a nuclear warhead during the decisive stage of acceleration to the separation of their cluster warheads with individual guidance of each element at specified targets ( MIRV ). However, with the end of the Cold War, interest in railguns turned to other planned military uses of the technology.
One planned near-future application of electromagnetic railgun technology is to improve the next generation of naval artillery and sea-launched missiles. The US Navy program and the USMC's 21st Century Naval Capability Concept place a strong emphasis on the rapid global deployment of carrier battle groups and littoral warfare. According to the relevant doctrines of the "Sea Strike" and "Sea Shield" systems EMRG are seen as the key to achieving rapid dominance when moving troops from the coastal zone to the internal conflict zone, including options for military operations in urbanized areas ( MOUT ). This is explained by the fact that hyperkinetic the weapons complement and integrate with the reduced radar, thermal and acoustic signatures of future surface combatants, and that which promises compactness and a low mass-to-volume ratio. Settings EMRG will possibly replace or complement the offensive and defensive ship systems currently in use, which include CIWS (low-altitude air defense/missile defense system) and long- and short-range missile systems, including SLCM (sea-launched cruise missiles).
Despite the fact that the weapons EMRG will be easily installed on future all-electric platforms equipped with an integrated combat system, including a propulsion system capable of instantly transferring energy from the traction motor to the rail gun to support the planned rate of fire of six rounds per minute, existing naval ships will require significant modernization to power the weapon .
Figure 1 - The “epoch-making” recording was made on January 18, 2008 at the Surface Warfare Research Center of the US Naval Research Command in Dahlgren , pcs. Virginia, when the test (prototype) model of the gun EMRG fired an aluminum projectile with a muzzle energy of 10.68 MJ and an initial speed of 2520 m/s. The projectile had an arrow-shaped striking element enclosed in a fitting with a pallet, which is separated from the projectile immediately after leaving the guide. Demo Energy EMRG was later increased to 32 MJ.
Figure 2 - Working diagram of an electromagnetic rail gun.
Be that as it may, the idea of moving a projectile with a speed equal to the number Max A7.5 for a range in excess of 200 nautical miles is certainly attractive. Although experimental plans for installing a cannon EMRG to the then class ship DD (X) that were completed have since been closed, but the program remains operational as a technology demonstrator.
Figure 3 - Imaginary weapon installation diagram EMRG on board
then naval ship DD(X).
The use of rail guns in ground combat has also been researched for decades, in fact since the development of the technology in the early 20th century, their use was initially considered as a replacement for barreled artillery. Additionally, technology projections have long included replacing the tank's main armament with railgun-based systems. In the case of armored vehicles and gun platforms, the main advantages and inherent difficulties were more or less the same as those considered for naval ships. Transition to systems based on EMRG offered the prospect of marked improvements in the useful range of the projectile, its ultimate efficiency and ballistic accuracy, but on the other hand, the attendant need to provide each shot with a huge amount of electrical energy, which must be provided immediately on demand, poses a huge technical problem.
Figure 4 - Schematic representation of the shooting process
from the EMRG cannon , operating against ground targets.
Even beyond these issues, there is a particular challenge that may hinder the emergence of field-ready systems. EMRG , makes them compatible with the ever-increasing emphasis on precision-guided munitions with terminal guidance. The enormous acceleration forces acting on a projectile fired at a muzzle velocity of more than 2,500 m/s pose a major engineering design challenge when developing on-board sensors and processor-based guidance systems, plus the difficult-to-determine aerodynamic forces that arise and act on the external control surfaces.
Directional Weapons - General Considerations
A curious technological paradox: although directional weapons ( DEW ) is inherently more complex than electromagnetic systems, R&D programs on directional weapon systems have already resulted in production-ready versions of field-usable systems.
Unlike conventional weapons, which use kinetic or chemical energy (or both) of projectiles designed to destroy a target, directional systems convert electrical or chemical energy into beam or pulsed energy, producing a killing effect that can be controlled by the operator. When defined this way, directed weapons may also contain systems that rely on other principles in addition to electromagnetic energy, such as acoustic waves and hydraulic/particle systems. However, these types are of limited interest since they do not operate at or near the speed of light. Modern types of directional weapons are based only on the principles of electromagnetic energy and include laser systems, beam weapon (BW) systems and radio frequency (RF) / high power microwave (MHP) systems, each of which emits energy that moves towards the target at the speed of light (or close to it in the case of beam weapons). Directional weapons cover the range of systems from tactical laser systems to active denial systems (ADS) based on millimeter wave radiation; Due to the physical nature of their radiation sources, lasers are single target weapons, whereas RF/HPM sources have "radar-like" antenna patterns and are therefore considered area strike weapons.
Since directional weapons rely on radiated energy, the operator can possibly modify the beam to achieve specific results. The operator controls the intensity, duration and wavelength and thus the focusing of the beam. This control can provide the operator with very precise control of any gunfire. The ability of a directional weapon to interact with targets in a new and unique way is what makes it a convertible weapon. At low power levels, the directed energy can have a non-lethal effect on the target's electronics and personnel, that is, it provides enough energy to cause mission failure (sometimes called soft kill " - failure of electronic equipment). However, at high power, directed weapons can provide enough energy to “burn through” the skins of aircraft and missiles or cause detonation of warheads.
Figure 5 - Proposed by the company Raytheon laser area defense system ( LADS ) is intended to replace short-range object defense weapons system PHALANXCIWS for the purpose of its use on board a ship and in countering missiles/artillery/mortars ( C-RAM ) when using existing technical means of the system PHALANX. LADS system consists of a 20 kW fiber laser IPG Photonics scientific research laboratory BBC (AFRL) ), mounted on the top PHALANX.
In addition to the inherent scalability Directional weapons have a number of unique characteristics, which makes them attractive in both tactical and strategic operations:
Firing at the speed of light. This fundamentally refers to the slowest part of the modern detection-to-kill cycle, that is, the delay caused by the dependence of military platforms and weapons systems on the speeds of jet engines or black powder detonation/deflagration and on ballistic weapon projectile speeds. Directional weapons give the user the ability to deliver energy to a target at the speed of light, thus matching the rate of fire to other elements of the detect-to-kill cycle;
Simplified firing trajectory calculations without the need to take into account gravitational force or aerodynamic drag;
Ultra-precise guidance at maximum firing ranges (especially for laser weapons);
Low cost per shot;
The so-called “deep store” (except for chemical lasers). As long as there is electrical energy available to power directional weapons, they will be capable of firing at targets, unlike guns and rocket launchers, which are limited by the supply of ammunition. However, this is not the case for chemical lasers, which are limited by their unique fuel supply;
Dual use as sensors.
Directional weapon systems also have negative characteristics that must be taken into account when using them. These include sensitivity to conductive material for radio frequency transmission and atmospheric scattering from the presence of dust, humidity and turbulence. Beam control and focusing are also difficult with the highest frequency beams. Needless to say, all directional weapons are by definition line-of-sight systems and, therefore, cannot be used in indirect fire mode to engage targets in cover, behind cover, etc.
The combination of positive and negative characteristics of the use of directed energy allows such systems to complement systems with conventional ammunition in the entire range of military missions, but not to replace them.
1 - diode pumping; 2 - heat removal.
Figure 6 - Schematic architecture of a high energy laser ( HEL).
Figure 7 - Study of the possible installation of medium-energy laser weapons on an armored combat vehicle AFV in combination with conventional
guns and missiles.
Laser weapons
Programs aimed at developing laser weapon technology began to take real shape in the first decade following the initial advances in laser technology in the 1960s, gaining momentum in stages that increased the emission power of lasers and thus the potential for military applications, e.g. invention of the first excimer laser in 1970, the advent of gas lasers about five years later, pulsed lasers and X-ray laserslasers in the next decade (the latter was the main laser technology considered for use CO ANDspace-based). Similar work was also carried out in the then existing USSR, which led to the creation of experimental test benches THEL (tactical high energy laser) at several sites, including a missile rangeSary Sagan , in the mid-1980s. These samples were tested as anti-satellite weapons ( ASAT).
Although the work came to nothing in practical terms, some other less ambitious programs were supported, and some of them are now approaching operational readiness. What follows is a quick survey of some important recent work.
Figure 8 - MIRACL (advanced mid-infrared chemical laser), developed by the US Navy in the 1980s, is a deuterium fluoride laser that can provide output
power over a megawatt and maintain it for 70 seconds.
Airborne laser system ( ABL)
Airborne laser system ( ABL ), which was created on the basis of a prototype YAL -1 test bench for a demonstration sample of promising technology ( A.C. T D ), first launched in the 1980s, is a development under the High Energy Laser program which still exists and continues to be tested and evaluated towards eventual full development by the US Air Force ( USAF ) systems for use in defense against ballistic missiles ( BMD ) (missile interception during the acceleration phase of the trajectory). At the end of May 2008, the general contractor - the company Boeing Integrated Defense Systems and companies interacting with it Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman along with the US Missile Defense Administration, which oversaw the program ABL , completed the first ground-based laser activation test at an air force base Edwards in pcs. California. The previous pilot phase was completed in February 2008, also in Edwards when installing all six chemical oxygen-iodide laser modules (COIL) to a modified 747-400F aircraft, which will be the main means of activating the system's weapons ABL and one of the key technologies enabling this system. Program ABL has now entered a new phase of development leading to a missile shoot-down test in 2009, during which the system will fire and intercept a ballistic missile on its launch leg.
In the ABL system what company is used Boeing characterizes it as a "dual path method" in which it uses low power beam steering and fire control systems to track and prioritize targets and a high power tactical laser to destroy those targets. The aft half of the aircraft houses a high-energy laser developed and manufactured by Northrop Grumman , and the front half contains the beam steering/fire control system developed by Lockheed Martin , and a battle control system manufactured by the company Boeing.
Figure 9 - System Tower Ball Kit ABL megawatt
class shown during installation. This kit was installed
on the YAL -1A plane.
Figure 10 - Demo sample YAL-1A ABL,
the mirror of the laser weapon is visible.
FromTHELToHELT.D.
In terms of tactical combat systems, a high energy tactical laser system demonstrator ( THEL ), based on a chemical laser, was developed as a joint US-Israeli initiative, and underwent successful firing tests in the US and Israel between 1998 and the controversial cancellation of the program in 2006, which confirmed the system's feasibility against a range of threats, including missiles "Katyusha", mortar ammunition and artillery shells. Firm Northrop Grumman is currently continuing to develop at its own expense a combat system called SKY GUARD (defense of the skies), and Israel is reportedly researching weapons using a solid-state laser for the same application in countering S - RAM.
Figure 11 - Katyusha artillery rocket destroyed by a laser demonstrator THEL during testing in 1996.
There does seem to be a general consensus that solid state lasers ( SSL ), rather than chemical ones, are the best solution for field use of high energy tactical laser systems. However, it should be known that the current goal of solid-state laser development is to achieve a power level more than an order of magnitude less than current chemical lasers (and close to two orders of magnitude in the near term). Although beam quality and other factors can compensate to some extent for the difference in power level, this will require significant investment.
Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Strategic Command ( USASMD WITH/ARSTRAT ) The US is leading the effort to address these issues by developing several alternative laboratory devices SSL according to the general program for creating a high-power solid-state laser ( JHPSSL ) in collaboration with the Army Research Laboratory, the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Naval Research Office and the Joint High Energy Laser Technology Division ( HEL JTO ) Office of the Minister of Defense ( OSD ). The purpose of the program JHPSSL is the development and demonstration of alternative solid-state lasers with diffraction-limited 100-kW class direct-pumped beams that have architectures that are suitable for use as tactical weapons from land, air and sea platforms. In December 2005 USASMD WITH/ARSTRAT entered into contracts with companies Northrop Grumman Space Technologies and Textron Systems to demonstrate such devices in the laboratory by December 2008.
Figure 12 - In December 2007, the company Northrop Grumman demonstrated the first laser system as a key element of a general high power solid state laser ( JHPSSL ). JHPSSL system designed to combine eight of these laser systems, each with four separate modules. Each laser system is a compact 15 kW solid-state laser, and the entire system layout has the potential to reach over 100 kW.
USASMD Command WITH/ARSTR AT also began developing a high-energy laser technology demonstrator ( HEL TD ), which will provide a mobile weapon system using a solid-state laser capable of countering missiles, artillery and mortar shells by 2013. Program HEL TD will integrate a solid-state laser, beam control system, electrical power source, thermal management and command, control and communications elements on a tactical wheeled vehicle. Although the initial possibilities HEL TD will be limited to tasks C-RAM , they can be expanded in the future to provide air and missile defense against a range of airborne targets, as well as providing non-kinetic lethality against a variety of military equipment.
Demonstration Development Program HEL TD involves three stages. Stage I covered contracting in FY 2007 with firms Boeing and Northrop Grumman to develop a wear-resistant beam control system ( BCS ) on the car platform. Stage II completes the development and production of the system BCS , installing it on the machine platform and conducting tests, and evaluating the installation of the high-energy laser system ( HELSTF ) at a missile range White Sands. At stage III system development will be completed HEL TD , fabrication, integration and testing of a mobile demonstrator in an appropriate tactical environment.
Figure 13 - Purpose of work on HEL TD − demonstrate that a mobile weapon system using a solid-state laser can effectively counter rockets, artillery and mortar shells. Current work will ensure successful
transition to a developed Army acquisition program.
Figure 14 - Critical problems in weapons development in
solid state laser.
High-energy liquid laser area defense system ( HELLADS)
The goal of the program is to create an area defense system using a high-energy liquid laser ( HELLADS ), currently carried out in the Department of Advanced Planning of the Ministry of Defense ( DARPA ), is the development of a weapon system based on a high-energy laser (150 kW) with an order of magnitude reduction in mass compared to existing laser systems. For a given mass< 5 кг/кВт система HELLADS will provide the ability to install such high-energy lasers on tactical aircraft and significantly increase firing ranges compared to ground-based systems.
HELLADS program completes the development and demonstration of a revolutionary small-format high-energy laser that achieves the goal of a lightweight, compact high-energy laser weapon system. A targeted monobloc laser module with integrated power and thermal management is being developed, manufactured and will demonstrate power output >34 kW. A test cell that represents half of the laser assembly was fabricated and used to characterize system loss, diode performance, and reliability. This test unit has now been expanded to a monobloc element; Based on the results of the demonstration of such a cell, additional laser modules will be manufactured to produce a 150 kW laser that will be demonstrated in a laboratory setting. The 150 kW laser will then be integrated with existing beam control systems to produce a laser weapon system demonstrator. The capability to engage tactical targets such as surface-to-air missiles and unguided missiles will be demonstrated.
Promising tactical laser ( ATL)
In June 2008 the company Boeing successfully test-fired a tactical aircraft weapon, which is a thin-disk laser system, as part of a program to develop and arm a prototype US transport aircraft with an advanced tactical laser ( ATL ) on a proactive basis. Work began in January 2006 with the delivery of a C-130N transport aircraft from the 46th Test Wing US Air Force stationed at Crestview , pcs. Florida, near the Air Force base Eglin . Transport aircraft ATL C -130, armed with laser weapons, is designed to conduct military combat operations in populated areas. Laser weapons are capable of delivering lethal and non-lethal effects and can be fired from a rotating turret located at the bottom of the aircraft.
Figure 15 - Experienced laser-armed C-130 aircraft equipped with the system ATL (promising tactical laser).ATL provides firing from a rotating turret protruding from the bottom of the aircraft.
Figure 16 - Laser installation ATL on board an armed
transport aircraft C-130.
Laser system for neutralizing ammunition - HLONS ( ZEUS)
HLONS system (laser system for neutralizing ammunition on the vehicle HMMWV ), usually known as ZEUS , was developed to neutralize ground mines and unexploded ordnance ( UXO ) and improvised explosive devices ( IED ). Work on this program was joint for the firms Sparta Inc. and Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division and was based on a commercial 10 kW solid-state laser and beam control system. Its action was to heat the ammunition - the target to the point of causing the ammunition charge to ignite and burn.
During testing and use the system ZEUS destroyed more than 1,600 munitions of 40 different types with a success rate of over 98%. In March 2003, the system ZEUS was deployed to Afghanistan for six months to demonstrate its mine countermeasures capabilities in a combat environment; it was used at an air baseBagramand cleared more than 200 munitions (including 51 munitions in 100 minutes) of ten different types. In March 2005, the system ZEUS was deployed in Iraq to assist in the destruction of improvised explosive devices as a concept for protecting a three-vehicle convoy.
Figure 17 - System HLONS ZEUS demonstrates its ability to precisely use laser energy to destroy unexploded ammunition (UXO ) at safe ranges.
Possibilities for other uses of the achievements of the laser program
Another modern application of laser technology (outside of weapons systems in the strict sense of the term) that has already reached operational levels is the class DIRCM (measures of directed countermeasures to IR means) of on-board self-defense means. In these systems, laser radiation (the source is a conventional device based on diode pumping) is directed to the homing head of an incoming air-to-air or surface-to-air missile with an IR guidance system, effectively “blinding” it, which leads to disruption of the flight path or failure of photosensitive controls.
Figure 18 - Csystem AN/AAQ-24 NEMESIS DIRCM (targeted countermeasures against infrared weapons), installed on a Dutch combathelicopter AH-64 APACHE).
Another class of lasers that may have tactical applications are the already mentioned short-length pulsed lasers (also known as fiber lasers). These devices are receiving considerable attention due to the compactness that systems based on this design can achieve, and due to the proposed modification of the technology for the so-called "lightning" guns. Several private sector developers are currently involved in research into short-length pulsed lasers that has been initiated by the Combat Control Laboratory. DARPA at the University of Central Florida in laser development. FirmRaydiance Inc. of Petaluma , pcs. California, announced productiondestktop- the size of the unit, which uses fiber optics and electronic software to control the mechanical controls to miniaturize the unit. Another developer Optima Technology Group , developed what he called a mobile energy device MEDUSA . This machine-mounted directed energy source is said to be similar to the company's previous "lightning gun" Ionatron Corporation, uses technology short pulse laser as a device for transmitting directed energy by directing high-voltage discharges through conductive channels punched into ionized oxygen in the air, which the firm says act as “virtual wires” to transmit “man-made fire” to precisely targeted impact points. Recreated as Applied EnergeticsThe firm is currently focused on developing directional weapons applications through the use of a fixed price contract 1 million dollars to develop counter-improvised explosive device systems based on a directed energy platform.
So-called "dazzler" lasers were the first directional weapons ( DEW ), which was used in actual combat during the Falklands War when English naval ships used them against Argentine pilots. Blinding laser weapons have been tested in the past, but have since been banned under a 1995 UN protocol. Research and development work was accordingly refocused on systems considered to be " disorientation” and “temporary blinding” of a living target, which thus allow one to bypass this regulation.
Figure 19 - PHASR (Response to Stop and Stimulate Personnel) is an experimental non-lethal laser dazzler developed by the Directed Energy Division of the United States Air Force Research Laboratory. This acronym deliberately resembles phasingbeam weapons exercises " Star Trek "and, moreover, the formsci-
fi rifles does not reflect actual purpose or characteristics.
Figure 20 - Laser blinder GLARE B.E. Myerza is by far the smallest existing system DEW , and also the system most widely used. Although its presence went virtually unnoticed, thousands of systems GLARE used by US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq for non-lethal short-range disorientation of enemy people.
Low Energy Radio Frequency Systems ( RF/ H.P.M.)
Relatively low energy radio frequency systems were developed as non-lethal weapons designed to perform the task of influencing the enemy to reduce his active role. Such a system in which the device is used millimeter wave radiation to cause a non-abating/short-lived burn sensation on the skin is the system A.D.S. (active denial system) developed by the company Raytheon and supplied to the market by the company under the name SILENT GUARDIAN . According to the company, the system's antenna directs a focused beam millimeter wave(95 GHz) energy that, upon impact, penetrates the skin to a depth of 1/64 inch (0.397 mm), producing an intolerable heating sensation that causes those struck to run or hide. This sensation stops immediately, according to the manufacturer, as soon as the person moves away from the beam or the operator withdraws the beam. Firm Raytheon states that the system SILENT GUARDIAN does not cause injury due to shallow penetration depth millimeter wave waves and safety features included in the system, but volunteers participating in the trials say the debate over the duration of exposure to the “painful rays” continues.
In 2002 the system A.D.S. was provided to demonstrate the technology of a promising concept ( ACTD) like ADS system 1 and was integrated into the mobile layout on the machine HMMWV . Final stage ACTD , extended user rating ( EUE ), completed in September 2007 and led to the development containerized option named as A.D.S. 2 and placed on an 8x8 truck chassis, more suitable for military applications. Since FY 2008, with support from the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Development Office, the Air Force Weapons Development Center has been leading the joint effort to support the transition from ACT.Dto justify the official program.
VIGILANT EAGLE is an airfield defense system based on a microwave weapon designed to counter surface-to-air missiles.Equipped to counter terrorists equipped with man-portable missile launchers (MANPADS) at civilian airports, Raytheon says the system creates a "dome of protection" around airports equipped with the system by irradiating any incoming missiles with electromagnetic energy, providing " retargeting» missiles away from their intended target. System VIGILANT EAGLE has three main components: a distributed missile detection and tracking subsystem ( MDT ), command and control system (C2), active electronically scanned array antenna ( AESA ), consisting of a flat-reflector common-mode multivibrator antenna coupled to solid-state amplifiers that produce a proprietary electromagnetic waveform that the firm claims Raytheon , interferes with guidance systems MANPADS and deflects incoming projectiles from the aircraft (target). According to the company Raytheon , Field tests have confirmed the effectiveness of the system's waveform VIGILANT EAGLE as a countermeasure to the threat MANPADS.
Figure 21 - Demonstration sample of the system Raytheon ADS 2 The chassis (8x8) truck was delivered to the US Air Force in September 2007. The Air Force is leading the effort to advance the concept from technology demonstration to production.
Figure 22 - Operating principle of the system VIGILANT EAGLE
against MANPADS missiles.
A special example is the class of radio frequency ( RF ) ammunition known as electromagnetic bombs or e-bombs , which affect electronic and digital systems by emitting powerful conventional electromagnetic pulses ( N-N-EMP ) affecting a solid-state integrated circuit ( IC ), the strength of which is insufficient against these influences. The pulsed energy released by electromagnetic systems penetrates the plastic shell of integrated circuits, causing the fragile structures embedded in their silicon matrices to break down, “frying” and overheating the electronic systems that process information.
Electromagnetic bombs, whose existence is fairly well classified but verbally proven, reportedly use technology to generate power by pumping energy into an explosion ( EFCG ) to create current loads that are believed to be several orders of magnitude larger than a directed lightning strike. The bursting charge triggers a generator that creates a significant burst of electromagnetic pulses (EMP) at the moment the ammunition detonates. While rumors regarding the use of electromagnetic bombs during the Gulf War and the March 2003 "Shock and Awe" air strikes on Iraq to knock out sections of Baghdad's power grid appear to be unfounded, other exotic munition technologies have could produce the same results, there seems to be no reason to doubt that the technological basis for electromagnetic bombs is fully viable.
Although they are not weapons in the strict sense of the term, there is growing interest in high power microwave (HPM) sources as systems for neutralizing improvised explosive devices (IEDs). IED ) and other explosive traps by interfering with their remote control and/or detonation system and thus preventing their detonation or causing premature detonation.
Figure 23 - CompanyRheinmetallin cooperation with the company Diehl BGT Defensedeveloped a system to counter improvised explosive devices ( IED ), based on high-power electromagnetic / ultra-wideband ( HPEM/UWB ) technologies. The system is capable of simultaneously suppressing all communication channels from several MHz to 3 GHz, thus preventing the detonation of remotely controlled IED and at the same time can cause forced detonation IED , driven by sensors.
Conclusions
Weapons that move destructive energy at the speed of light have captured the imagination of mankind since time immemorial in the form of mythological concepts such as the lightning strikes of Zeus orVajrain the hands of the fire god Indra, and may even have been realized to some extent in ancient warfare by such devices as the burning mirrors of Archimedes. Nowadays, technological development and innovation have produced several prototype and field-ready systems that utilize electrically powered, ultra-high-velocity movement of destructive energy - hyperkinetic action and directional weapons for tactical use. These systems are attracting the attention of war planners and defense policymakers because they promise transformative improvements to many available types of chemical munitions, including increased accuracy, light-speed strike, increased lethality, more flexible deployment and lower production costs. deployment and operation of such systems compared to modern systems.
Laser and other directional weapons are predicted to be significantly more accurate than even the most precise laser-guided or global positioning system (GPS) weapons. GPS ) aircraft bombs, providing a circular deflection probability of less than an inch. This will be of great importance not only on the conventional battlefield, but also and especially in asymmetrical warfare, with particular emphasis placed on minimizing collateral damage. Another advantage of directional weapons in such operations is their inherent scalability. In general, it is also recognized that chemical munitions have reached a theoretical ceiling at which significant improvements in their effectiveness cannot be expected, making replacement by superior technology necessary.
On the other hand, weapons SOL (at the speed of light) has several disadvantages. The first and most obvious is that while modern prototype first-line systems such as the Navy's CIWS and ABL have shown significant superiority over previous technology prototypes, , none of them seem ready for actual production and deployment any time soon. In case EMRG (electromagnetic rail gun) several components of the system, mainly the projectile control surfaces and integrated electronic guidance equipment, currently present development problems that seem insurmountable, at least for now. And although the system ABL As a successful platform promises to counter ballistic missile trajectories during the critical boost phase, it will still take years before deployment, even if it passes a new round of testing with a result that can live up to the title of “brilliant victory.”
Although the effectiveness of light speed weapon systems against threats such as guided missiles in flight or other aerial platforms such as pilot aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles ( UAV ) is likely to be greater in most cases than conventional munitions, there is no evidence that these new classes of weapons will be as effective against many of the other traditional military targets against which chemical munitions are used, such as buildings, bridges, underground shelters and others massive structures. Therefore, even after the hypothetical advent of the age of “weapons at the speed of light,” it is unlikely that conventional and nuclear explosives and their delivery platforms will inevitably cease to be used. In addition, these same electromagnetic forces that provide new types of weapons threaten to create massive radiation TEMPEST , which have an increased risk of detection compared to current weapon systems.
Technological innovation will either reveal itself viable within the framework of military policy, or cease to exist. Initiatives to globally transform the future defense concept are now considering the development of light-speed weapons as a top priority for next-generation combat systems. Whether these lofty expectations will be realized is a question that can ultimately only be answered by the future itself.
David Alexander
Advances in Electromagnetic/Directed Energy Weapon Systems
Military Technology, 2008, vol. XXXII, No. 9.
Flamer - Flamethrower
Flamethrowers are more useful for creating fires than for damaging the enemy. They are light enough that most robots can carry them with little modification. Recon bots can make good use of flamethrowers to destroy enemy rear areas or block pursuit.
Flamethrowers are one of the oldest weapon concepts in use today. It can be said that humanity used flamethrowers directly after they discovered fire, and the simple and cheap concept of a flamethrower has survived to this day.
Historically, the first flamethrower was described during the siege of Delo (Greece) in 424 BC. e.; however, the first "real" flamethrower was tested during World War I by German troops at Malencourt in France. These older guns used large tanks to store flammable fuel and gas to propel the fuel to the tip of the rifle. The result was a stream of ignited fuel capable of burning all but the hardest materials. However, these flamethrowers were susceptible to several problems. At first, they required a continuous recharge of flammable fuel, and a direct hit on the fuel tanks would result in an explosion that could kill the soldier carrying the flamethrower and any nearby soldiers.
Flamethrowers used today are connected directly to the engine, allowing them to run indefinitely. The lack of a fuel tank also makes the weapon more reliable than its predecessors. The flamethrower consists of two main parts called the emission tube and the main body. The main body of the flamethrower contains several safety valves, a pressure control system, a gas filter, connections to the engine, to the cooling system, power management and a small control computer. The emission tube contains the main safety valve and the lighter.
The operation of the flamethrower is very simple: hot gases from the reactor are directed into the flamethrower by a simple pipe. This pipe is connected to the rear area of the flamethrower. Only after this connection, the gases are directed to the filter. This filter ensures that no foreign bodies enter the flamethrower. Then, the purified gases enter the pressure system, which compresses them. In front of this system, the first group of safety valves ensures that the pressure in the first part of the main body does not increase above normal levels. The compressed gases are then sent to the discharge valve for final compression. The compressed gas is then injected into the emission pipe.
Here the gas is exposed to the flame created by the lighter and begins to burn like normal fuel. The final safety system is located in front of the lighter and is usually called the main valve. This valve prevents the burning gas from igniting the gases in the main body.
The entire flamethrower is covered with a water cooling jacket. This casing allows the coolant to keep the flamethrower body and emission tube at a safe level. The casing is connected to a standard cooling system and consists of a heat exchanger and a purifier. These two complexes ensure that the refrigerant in the casing is always at hot temperatures and that no foreign bodies are present in the casing pipes. The cooler box has two secondary filters for maximum safety.
Another version of the flamethrower, usually mounted on ICE vehicles carried by standard infantry or low-tech BattleMechs, is similar to the older models described above.
It uses the same tip and body of a standard flamethrower, but the combustion source is an air-fuel mixture. As with most ballistic weapons, a critical hit to the fuel tanks will create a huge explosion that can disable the vehicle.
Both types of flamethrowers are short-range weapons and are typically used to repel infantry attacks. Very few vehicles or 'Mechs carry a flamethrower. However, some 'Mech designs, such as the Firestarter, have proven their worth when used in forested areas. These 'Mechs can create multiple fires to slow down enemy 'Mechs. This tactic is only useful once every few years because trees take time to regrow.
So-called transport flamethrowers use ammunition supplied in fuel tanks, rather than diverted from a fusion reactor. As such, they are considered more of a ballistic weapon than an energy weapon. This means that vehicles do not need to install heat absorbers to dissipate the heat generated by the vehicle flamethrower, making it an ideal flamethrower for use on combustion engine-powered units. Despite the weapon's name, BattleMechs can also mount this type of flamethrower, but they must distribute the heat generated by firing the weapon using heat absorbers.
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