760
8 Modern Weapons: Possibilities and Limitations
free path should be about 100 g/cm
2 , which corresponds to the proton energy of
300 MeV.
If the beam spot size on the target is d = 1 m, then the damage radius is 250 km;
damage radius of 500 km corresponds to the transverse beam size of 1.6 m; damage
radius of 1000 km—to almost 3 meters. In this case, the required minimum current
density should be 10
−4 A/cm
2 , which corresponds to the required level of total current
of 1 A, in the second case—about 3 A, and in the third case—9 A.
The corresponding power used by the beam will amount to 300, 900, and
2700 MW. Separate data indicate that a beam acquires the size of 1 m at a distance
of only 50 km; with a damage radius of 1000 km, beam current of almost 30 A is
required, while the transverse size of the spot will exceed 5 m.
Beam weapons have a certain potential to counter kinetic weapons.
Kinetic weapons (KW) are the projectiles usually aimed at space-based enemy
objects in order to mechanically destroy them. The target can also be destroyed by
explosion of a projectile if the latter is equipped with an autonomous and softwarecontrolled explosion device.
Experts usually use the following classifications of kinetic weapons:
1. Inertial-ballistic projectiles (move by inertia outside the atmosphere);
2. Interceptor projectiles with guidance (homing) systems.
The latter, in turn, are subdivided into two main types: not designed to hit the
target directly and equipped with a high-explosive or warhead section; self-guided
missiles—interceptors designed for collision with a target.
The main technical task here is to ensure the speed of the projectile intercepting the
speed of at least 10 km/s; moreover, the energy required for one shot is about 100 MJ
(which is generally comparable for similar values for laser and beam weapons).
This task is solved in three different directions:
– artillery (acceleration under the effect of gunpowder gases);
– electromagnetic (use of an electromagnetic accelerating system of the “rail-gun”
type, which is well known to experimenters in the field of physics) [1, 2];
– reactive (use of a rocket engine to gain speed due to the system of thrust at the
time of burning rocket fuel).
For artillery technical solutions, the limit speed in each case is determined by the
speed of molecules of gunpowder gases, which is only about 3 km/s; moreover,
the problem of compensation of the recoil effect during firing, in combination with
the additional fuel consumption for the orientation system and the SBS, and such
solution is nearly impossible to use in the space missile defense layer.
For the rocket direction, the time of acceleration to the end speed depends on the
selected engine thrust and the weight of the interceptor and can be within 10–100 s
for the threshold of 15–18 km/s.
Finally, electromagnetic systems have two main disadvantages limiting the
possibility of their use in the near future:
8 Modern Weapons: Possibilities and Limitations
free path should be about 100 g/cm
2 , which corresponds to the proton energy of
300 MeV.
If the beam spot size on the target is d = 1 m, then the damage radius is 250 km;
damage radius of 500 km corresponds to the transverse beam size of 1.6 m; damage
radius of 1000 km—to almost 3 meters. In this case, the required minimum current
density should be 10
−4 A/cm
2 , which corresponds to the required level of total current
of 1 A, in the second case—about 3 A, and in the third case—9 A.
The corresponding power used by the beam will amount to 300, 900, and
2700 MW. Separate data indicate that a beam acquires the size of 1 m at a distance
of only 50 km; with a damage radius of 1000 km, beam current of almost 30 A is
required, while the transverse size of the spot will exceed 5 m.
Beam weapons have a certain potential to counter kinetic weapons.
Kinetic weapons (KW) are the projectiles usually aimed at space-based enemy
objects in order to mechanically destroy them. The target can also be destroyed by
explosion of a projectile if the latter is equipped with an autonomous and softwarecontrolled explosion device.
Experts usually use the following classifications of kinetic weapons:
1. Inertial-ballistic projectiles (move by inertia outside the atmosphere);
2. Interceptor projectiles with guidance (homing) systems.
The latter, in turn, are subdivided into two main types: not designed to hit the
target directly and equipped with a high-explosive or warhead section; self-guided
missiles—interceptors designed for collision with a target.
The main technical task here is to ensure the speed of the projectile intercepting the
speed of at least 10 km/s; moreover, the energy required for one shot is about 100 MJ
(which is generally comparable for similar values for laser and beam weapons).
This task is solved in three different directions:
– artillery (acceleration under the effect of gunpowder gases);
– electromagnetic (use of an electromagnetic accelerating system of the “rail-gun”
type, which is well known to experimenters in the field of physics) [1, 2];
– reactive (use of a rocket engine to gain speed due to the system of thrust at the
time of burning rocket fuel).
For artillery technical solutions, the limit speed in each case is determined by the
speed of molecules of gunpowder gases, which is only about 3 km/s; moreover,
the problem of compensation of the recoil effect during firing, in combination with
the additional fuel consumption for the orientation system and the SBS, and such
solution is nearly impossible to use in the space missile defense layer.
For the rocket direction, the time of acceleration to the end speed depends on the
selected engine thrust and the weight of the interceptor and can be within 10–100 s
for the threshold of 15–18 km/s.
Finally, electromagnetic systems have two main disadvantages limiting the
possibility of their use in the near future: