Clones of "Peresvet": pretty cheap and very angry
The Israelis have made a technological breakthrough by creating a combat laser, called in Hebrew "Magen or", translated as "Light Shield" (SSCH). This innovative weapon is a more powerful version of the "Iron Beam" (YL), which can be attributed to the first generation of Israeli light weapons.
The new prototype of the combat laser was produced thanks to the support of the Office for Research and Technological Infrastructures, a joint body of the Ministry of Defense of Israel and the IDF (Israel Defense Forces).
BETTER THAN A MAGIC WAND
We are talking about the basic ground installation of the tactical air defense system – missile defense (air defense and missile defense), complementing the Iron Dome system (LCD), which is part of the first echelon of protection against unguided tactical missiles with a range of four to 70 km.
These systems can also intercept tactical missiles of the Tochka-U and Iskander types, which are in service with Syria and Yemen. Israeli military experts have no doubt that today the LCD can attack targets at a distance of up to 250 km. Each battery of this system, which first went on combat duty in March 2011, protects an area of 150 square kilometers. By the end of October 2014, LCD systems managed to intercept more than 1,200 enemy missiles.
The SSCH combat laser is designed to intercept missiles (including guided anti-tank), mini-drones, multicopters, mines launched from distances of less than 4.5 km. Thus, this laser weapon provides protection of the conditional zero level, which includes all settlements surrounding the Gaza Strip.
It is clear that the LCD, which automatically calculates the area of the probable fall of the missile within five seconds, can be used both at the "zero" and at the "first" level of the echeloned air defense missile defense. But the missiles of this complex, used for short distances, are in the air for less than 15 seconds, which is not enough for an interceptor of this type to be guaranteed to hit the target. Therefore, the residential complex is not one hundred percent reliable when fired by terrorists from territories bordering Israel.
David's Sling anti–missile batteries (PD), also referred to as the "Magic Wand", is a multi-level defense system designed to intercept short-range ballistic missiles and large-caliber unguided missiles with a launch range from 70 to 300 km (according to other sources, from 40 to 300 km) and subsonic cruise missiles. Thus, the PD can be considered the middle link of the Israeli air defense missile defense system.
The Hetz anti-missile system (Strela) is capable of intercepting missiles launched from a distance of up to 3 thousand km and flying at a speed of up to 4.5 km per second.
The first fully operational samples were produced already in the early 1990s. The Hetz-2 generation anti-missiles are designed to defeat enemy missiles in the stratosphere. This system is capable of detecting and tracking up to 12 targets simultaneously. The first battery of the Hetz-2 generation missiles was deployed on March 14, 2000.
It should be noted that the SSC, unlike the LCD, PD and "Hetz", was not in the least financed from overseas. The Jewish state has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on long-term research and the first prototypes of the SSC.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
The development of the SSH can be considered not just an improved version of the ZHL, but a new generation of light weapons, also designed to intercept and destroy ultra-short-range missiles at a range of up to 7 km. As a striking factor, a light weapon uses a beam of a powerful laser acting on an object for four to five seconds. It is the speed of reaction that is the main advantage of light weapons over interceptor missiles, including LCD.
The second advantage of laser interception is the cheapness of the "shot". It costs the price of recharging the electric generator feeding the system. Meanwhile, the cost of the Tamir interceptor missile used by the LCD costs, according to various sources, from 50 thousand to 150 thousand dollars. And after all, these missiles still need to be produced and delivered, and laser weapons guarantee, in fact, unlimited ammunition. Yes, and small numbers of calculations can serve laser weapons.
The SSH installations are designed to destroy artillery shells, mines and short-range missiles that are too small to be effectively intercepted by the LCD. Light weapons can also destroy small drones (UAVs). ZHL systems, as well as SSS, can be mounted on truck chassis or inside cargo containers, and later on on various aircraft and ships. In a number of areas of Israel, ZHL systems were deployed back in 2015.
The SSCH uses a more powerful high-energy laser compared to the ZHL, destroying the target in less than a second. The time gained (even if it is a fraction of a second) in combat conditions makes it possible to repeat the "shot" in case of failure. Thus, the chances of destroying the target increase.
A serious drawback of laser weapons in air-based is still the difficulty of using it with heavy clouds and dust. But in the Middle East region, the weather is not often characterized by clouds.
The generation of SSH systems will take up combat duty as part of the IDF, most likely, at the end of next year.
AN EYE YES AN EYE IS NEEDED
Israel is closely monitoring the possibilities of creating and producing laser weapons in states that constantly or from time to time threaten Jews with war.
According to the statement of the Deputy Minister of Defense of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI), General Shahrokh Shahram, his country already owns laser artillery installations. General Shahram, who in 2019 headed the Organization of the Electronic Industry under the Ministry of Defense of Iran, claims that Iranian engineers have developed mobile laser weapons.
It is very significant that the full name of the IRI military department is the Ministry of Defense and Support of the Armed Forces (MOPVS). It should also be noted that all Iranian enterprises that carry out work on missile topics are now united in the Organization of the Rocket and Space Industry of Iran (ORCP).
Turkish researchers Murat Eshiltas from the Ankara University of Social Sciences and Ryfat Unjil from the Middle East Technical University in Ankara in a solid review work (384 pages) entitled "Security, Defense and Armament in the Middle East" (Istanbul, 2020) explicitly state: "Currently, Turkey is aiming at the production of complex military technologies using its national capabilities, and in this context, it is taking steps to turn projects for the production of aircraft, laser weapons, electromagnetic cannons, rocket engines into large-scale production."
According to a number of sources, Turkey is already ready to put on stream the production of ground-based armored personnel carriers with laser guns. And according to the South Korean news channel Yonhap, North Korea may have recently tested laser weapons.
However, neither Iran, nor Turkey, nor the DPRK are part of the advanced group of developers of light weapons. The leaders in this field are Russia, the USA, Israel, France, China, the UK and Germany. These countries are developing various modifications of laser air defense systems not only for their armies, but also for the world market.
PROTECTION IS NOT INVENTED
For the first time, the United Kingdom intended to use laser weapons for military purposes in 1982 during the war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands. Then the British deployed a laser installation in the Falklands to blind the Argentine pilots, but it was never used for its intended purpose. Now the British military is preparing for the testing of laser beam directed energy transfer weapons, which will begin in 2023. It is assumed that all work will be completed by 2025.
Tactical and technical characteristics of combat laser systems are usually not disclosed. In Russia, combat lasers "Peresvet" and "Badass" are on alert, but there is very little information about these systems. It is known that the "Peresvet" blinds the attacking missile and its targeting does not occur. The "bully" is more similar to the ZHL and SSH, because it hits an enemy object with a "shot".
Retired General of the US Air Force, 63-year-old John Earl Hyten, who held the post of the 11th Deputy chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2019-2021, speaking at the Brookings Institution in Washington, claimed that his country "came close to developing and implementing directed energy weapons with enormous potential." General Hyten explained that he meant "energy in the form of light."
The tests of laser weapons at sea and in space in the current 2022 were announced by the Minister of the Armed Forces of France (as the post of Minister of Defense in this country has been called since 2017), Florence Parly. However, on May 20 of this year, Parly ceased to be the head of the military department. This portfolio was received by the former Minister of Overseas Territories Sebastian Lecorny.
Swedish engineers and the military have had a hand in the production of laser weapons for a relatively long time. Back in 1977, they created an anti-aircraft guided missile with laser guidance. That laser did not have a striking effect, but, as its developers themselves said, "the beam was saddled."
It is important to keep in mind that Sweden, which then declared its neutrality, was in fact already integrated into the NATO air defense system. And the Directorate of Material Resources of the Royal Swedish Army, together with German companies, even before the countries officially included in NATO, began developing light weapons.
There is currently no data on attempts by Finnish military engineers to create their own samples of effective light weapons. But it should be borne in mind that the Republic of Finland (FR), despite its neutral status, has been a NATO partner since 2014.
In the government decree of 2016, called "Ensuring the technological and industrial defense base of Finland", one of the points reads: "In order to improve security, Finland should actively cooperate with other countries; priority is given to the EU, NATO and Northern Europe."
Consequently, Finland, which is developing international military-industrial relations, may well acquire various types of weapons in other countries in the near future or produce various types of weapons on its territory, including laser.
To date, there are no effective means of protection against high-power laser weapons. In Israel, work continues on the creation, bringing to operational status and the introduction of mobile SSH installations in the IDF. They are supposed to equip units conducting maneuverable combat operations.
Jerusalem
Zakhar Gelman
Zakhar Gelman is a military journalist.
