Firing in a salvo: China's new experiments with microwave weapons
The PHASER microwave combat system from the American company Raytheon. Similar systems can be used as part of the Chinese complex. Photo by Raytheon
Chinese scientific and engineering organizations are actively working on the creation of the so-called weapons directed energy. Experimental and combat lasers, microwave systems, and other unusual types of weapons are being developed. Recently, one such organization announced the creation of a new technology that allows for a microwave gun to be significantly more effective and have a stronger impact on its target.
New Technologies
The Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post reported on the promising development of Chinese scientists on November 4. Information about it was found in one of China's scientific journals - the project's developers posted a report on the work they had done and described the main features of the new technology.
This is a new project in the field of microwave weapons. An unnamed organization has created a mobile complex of this class, distinguished by increased operational and combat characteristics. The increase in parameters became possible due to the introduction of new solutions.
The complex includes several electromagnetic radiation generators directly responsible for attacking the selected target. These generators can operate both separately and simultaneously. The best result is achieved by using several such installations simultaneously.
As part of the new project, an original control system was developed that allows synchronizing the operation of the "guns" and simultaneously directing their radiation to the target. In this case, the power of individual beams is actually summed up, and the target receives the maximum possible damage.
The new microwave complex is already being compared to the weapons of the Death Star battle station from the Star Wars movie saga. The main weapon of the fictional station formed a powerful beam capable of destroying entire planets by combining several beams with lower parameters. This analogy does not quite describe the new Chinese development, but overall it is quite good.
American experimental microwave gun THOR. Photo by the US Department of Defense
It is reported that the new combat microwave complex already exists as a prototype and has even been tested at a proving ground. The details of these tests are not disclosed, but it is mentioned that they simulated the solution of real combat tasks.
The future plans of scientific organizations, the defense industry, and the armed forces of China remain unknown. It is not reported whether the new project will be developed and the promising technology adapted for practical use. It can be assumed that the PLA will not abandon the new development and the opportunities associated with it.
Complex management
All technical details of the new multi-component combat microwave system project remain unknown. However, the general ideas and key principles of its construction, as well as other important information, have been published. All this allows us to understand how a significant increase in combat capabilities was achieved.
According to published data, the new system is based on electromagnetic "guns" operating in the microwave range. They should direct a powerful microwave beam at the target, capable of damaging electronics or even causing damage to structural elements.
Microwave "guns" in mobile or stationary design must be placed in the protected area taking into account its features, expected target routes, etc. The experimental complex that passed the tests included seven such products.
It is obvious that the complex also includes reconnaissance, target detection and target designation systems. Most likely, this is a radar station of an unnamed type. It is also impossible to rule out the possibility of using an optical-electronic system.
Ship microwave unit Epirus Microwave. Photo Epirus
The key element of the new project is the original fire control system (FCS). It includes high-precision means for determining the coordinates of each "gun", a synchronization system for the command post and actuators for the fire weapons. To ensure the required data and command transmission speed, the components of the complex are connected using fiber optic cables.
The control system and accompanying devices are characterized by high speed and accuracy. The coordinates of the installations are determined with an accuracy of several millimeters. The high-speed control computer synchronously issues signals for the use of microwave emitters. In order to achieve all the desired effects, the error in issuing commands should not exceed 170 picoseconds.
Power addition
The new Chinese-developed combat microwave system has several operating modes. It can attack a selected target with one "gun", several, or even all of them. The effectiveness of the "fire" directly depends on the number of microwave emitters used.
For obvious reasons, the main goal of the project was to ensure high efficiency when "firing" salvos. It was for this purpose that a complex FCS with special capabilities was developed. Tests showed that such a control system copes with its tasks quite well, despite their complexity.
The FCS is responsible for the electromagnetic installations simultaneously sending a large amount of energy to the target. Tests have shown that with an error in guidance and synchronization of no more than 150-170 picoseconds, several microwave beams can be placed at one point. In this case, the target receives a multiple of the amount of energy from one "gun". Taking into account all losses, the object receives microwaves with a total power at the level of the sum of the powers of individual emitters.
For different purposes
So far, the new Chinese microwave complex has only worked on targets in the testing ground. It is unknown what conditional targets were used. Perhaps, given the current threats and challenges, the complex was tested on unmanned aerial vehicles. At the same time, it is fundamentally capable of working on ground targets.
Chinese combat laser. Combat microwave "guns" may have similar architecture. Stills from CCTV7 report
Microwave radiation can disrupt the operation of the target's electronics, and if powerful enough, literally burn it out. In addition, a high-power pulse can damage structural elements, power plants, etc.
Delivering enough energy to a target to cause damage is a difficult task. One obvious solution is to use a more powerful emitter, but this comes with additional complications. An alternative approach is to use several less powerful "guns" aimed at a single target.
Experiments by Chinese scientists have shown that it is entirely possible to create a combat microwave complex with several "guns" for salvo "firing". However, the specifics of its use place increased demands on the control system. It is the FCS that ultimately turns out to be the most important and complex part of the complex.
Chinese science and industry have successfully created such a FCS and even demonstrated it at a testing ground. The tests confirmed the fundamental possibility of "salvo" use of microwave systems, but also showed the complexity of this task.
Reserve for the future
The project of Chinese scientists and engineers will probably be developed. New models of microwave "guns" and improved versions of the FCS for use with them will be developed. As a result, new systems with certain features and capabilities may appear.
However, one should not expect China to regularly report on current work. The topic of a promising combat microwave complex may disappear from open publications for several years and reappear only after a real combat-ready model has been created.
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