Monday, July 31, 2017

Russian 6th-generation fighter will employ powerful lasers to burn enemy missile

By L. Todd Wood

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

Air-to-ground or air-to-air missiles have one thing in common — they have a seeker head, or targeting system on the missile that uses radar or heat-seeking technology to find and lead the weapon to the target to destroy it. The Russian defense industry says it will deploy powerful lasers on its new sixth-generation fighter that will be able to “burn” enemy homing systems on projectiles fired in their direction, to make them unable to hit a target.

“We already have laser protection systems installed on aircraft and helicopters, and now we are talking about developments in the field of powered lasers that will be able to physically destroy attacking missiles’ homing heads. … Roughly speaking, we’ll be able to burn out ‘the eyes’ of missiles that ‘look at us.’ Naturally, such systems will be installed on sixth-generation aircraft as well,” said the Adviser to the First Deputy CEO of Radio-Electronic Technologies Group (KRET) Vladimir Mikheyev, reported Russian state news agency TASS.

Drone technology is also a high priority for the Russian defense industry. Manned aircraft flying alongside swarms of unmanned drones is a concept being developed on both sides of the Atlantic.
“One drone in a formation flight will carry microwave weapons, including guided electronic munitions while another drone will carry radio-electronic suppression and destruction means, and a third UAV will be armed with a set of standard weaponry. Each specific task is solved by different armaments,” Mr. Mikheyev added.

Microwave weapons will complement the laser components on manned aircraft also.

Read rest of the story on the Washington Times website at http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jul/31/russian-6th-generation-fighter-will-employ-powerfu/