International Journal of Advanced Research in Physical Science (IJARPS)
Volume 7, Issue 8, 2020, PP 20-26
ISSN No. (Online) 2349-7882
www.arcjournals.org
International Journal oaf Advanced Research in Physical Science (IJARPS) Page | 20
An Epic Set of Myths about Combat Lasers.
Acad. Victor V. Apollonov*
General Physics Institute, Russia.
1. INTRODUCTION
The experience of designing strategic laser systems in the previous years and a strong belief in the
attainability of the goal – the development of high-power laser weapons – help to significantly
accelerate the pace of work in the field of new technologies. World press has published the articles
where it was suggested that the anti-missile airborne laser project suffers cost overruns and delays and
may fall victim to budget cuts. Just after that mass media immediately reported that the Pentagon
refuses to develop combat lasers. As a result, there has appeared an epic set of myths about combat
lasers. However, this euphoria seems very misleading, if not tougher.
The task of this paper is to consider the most ridiculous statements and to reject them by sufficient
analysis. An additional goal is to focus the interests of laser physics community to the mono-module
disk laser geometry, which is possible now for implementation.
Today, chemical lasers are being widely replaced by solid-state diode-pumped lasers. It is these lasers
that the Pentagon counts on, because they are more compact, simpler and cheaper to use than
chemical lasers. Besides, they are reliable, easily compatible (without any transformation of the
output voltage) with nuclear and solar energy, allow for further scaling of output parameters and the
efficiency of their operations is significantly higher. Northrop Grumman Corporation has already
presented a 105-kW solid-state laser and intends to significantly increase its output power. According
to data from U.S. laboratories work is on the way to develop a prototype of a 500-kW laser.
Subsequently, „hyperboloids‟ will be truck-mounted [high energy laser technology demonstrator
(HEL TD) program], ship-mounted [maritime laser demonstrator (MLD) project], and airborne [high
energy liquid laser air defense system (HELLADS); a laser for F-35, B-1, CH-47 aircrafts). Another
direction is largely supported by Raytheon, which stakes on fiber systems. A 50-kW laser weapon
system (LaWS) will be integrated with the Phalanx Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) against anti-
ship missiles and its land based version of Centurion C-RAM. In addition, the officials in the U.S.
have recently reported on the progress of works on a combat free electron laser. At the same time, we
should not forget about “Alpha” system (a laser with an output power of 4.5 MW), lying on the
ground and waiting for the decision to be launched.
Figure1. Anti-missile airborne lasers : USA and USSR
*Corresponding Author: Acad. Victor V. Apollonov, General Physics Institute, Russia.
