报告全文约47000字,希望阅读全文的读者请登录知远数据库查找。 定向能防御还需要有利于远距离光学传输的大气条件。大气湍流、雾霾和其它条件的变化对激光能量的传输有重大影响。这种对有利条件的次要要求传统上限制了定向能方法用于空中平台上的研究,而这些平台在更清晰的大气区域内运行,视野更广。这种限制反过来要求考虑飞机振动和激光器的尺寸、重量和功率(SWaP)的性能。 过去的方法:化学激光 所以,“机载激光器”需要一个大型平台——一架改装过的747客机——来支持它的子系统。这就带来了额外的集成挑战。在其典型的工作高度,“机载激光器”会受到更高的湍流和气动抖振影响,从而需要开发昂贵的自适应光学、指向和隔振解决方案。这些条件最终限制了 “机载激光器”的射程4。在2010年的一次试验中,“机载激光器”击毁了“几十千米”外的短程弹道导弹级别的目标——这对于可行的助推段导弹防御来说太近了5。由于担心这些复杂性和性能问题,美国最终在2012年终止了该项目6。在飞机振动和激光器的尺寸、重量和功率没有显著改进的情况下,化学方法不太可能用于具有成本效益的助推阶段导弹防御。 新的方法:电泵浦激光器 要实现这些优势,就需要在电激光束功率方面取得重大进展。二极管泵浦固态、组合光纤和碱金属蒸汽激光器已经证明了功率输出从几十千瓦到小几百千瓦的功率。要支持助推阶段导弹拦截任务,这些激光器必须要能产生高达数百千瓦或兆瓦的光束。 二极管泵浦固态激光器 合成光纤激光器 一种更简单的方法是将激光非相干合成,要么平行地照射不同的光束,要么将不同波长的光束连在一起而不匹配相位。第二种方法称为光谱组合,在减少破坏性干扰方面比简单的非相干合成更有效。虽然早期的激光武器原型使用简单的非相干合成,但最近的项目则将光谱组合作为首选方法24。光谱合成光纤激光器验证表明可产生高达100千瓦的光束功率,超过了最近用相干合成方法实现的30千瓦25。光谱组合方法代表了在近期内实现~500千瓦光纤激光器的最有可能的途径,而相干合成将带来更高的性能上限26。 二极管泵浦碱金属蒸汽激光器 2020年,国防部长办公室发布了一项信息征求书以征求二极管泵浦碱金属蒸汽激光器技术,目标是到2024财年将功率水平放大到300千瓦32。 自由电子和脉冲激光器 另一些激光技术虽然不太成熟,但也可能提供可供开发的独特特性。自由电子激光器(FEL)通过将电子加速导入摆磁场来产生激光束;这样的系统可以放大到兆瓦级,并能主动调整其波长以适应不同的大气特征。然而,今天的自由电子激光器设计比二极管泵浦激光器重得多,而且体积大,从而使它们只能在舰船上使用33。此外,自由电子激光器系统仍然处于较低的技术准备水平。考虑到这些限制,随着二极管泵浦激光器的成熟,自由电子激光器在很大程度上已经失宠。 这种多任务能力已经引起了美国导弹防御局和陆军的兴趣。2021年2月,导弹防御局发布了一份关于超短脉冲激光武器的信息征求书37。虽然这种激光器仍处于研发的早期阶段,但它们为简化未来激光武器系统提供了有前途的特性。 近期进展 与这些努力同时进行的是在军种级别进行的操作高能激光技术的计划。2008年至2014年期间,美国海军演示了一种峰值功率为33千瓦的非相干合成光纤激光器,2017年,美国陆军接收了一种60千瓦级激光试验台41。到2018年,美国陆军已经开始开发多个激光器原型,包括100千瓦级光谱合成激光器,空军在2021年初接收了一台吊舱激光系统42。未来几年,联合军种部队计划部署几种50 - 300千瓦范围内的光纤或固态系统,用于对抗小型舰艇、火炮、迫击炮弹、飞机、炮弹和战场无人机43。 美国国防部激光放大研发回顾 【1】Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, OSD Laser Scaling Plan (Alexandria, VA: Department of Defense, April 15, 2019), https:///opportunity/federal-contract-opportunity/ osd-laser-scaling-plan-hq003419rfi0001#related-government-files-table. 【2】MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Technology in Support of National Security (Lexington, MA: 2011); and Michael Zoltoski, “The Weapons Technologies Community of Interest (CoI),” Armament Systems Forum, Fredericksburg, VA, April 27, 2016, https://ndiastorage.blob.core./ndia/2016/science/MikeZoltoski.pdf. 【3】Clifford V. Sulham, “Laser Demonstration and Performance Characterization of Optically Pumped Alkali Laser Systems,” PhD diss., Air Force Institute of Technology, 2010, https://apps./dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a528353. pdf. 【4】James D. Syring, “Ballistic Missile Defense System Update,” (speech, CSIS, Washington, DC, January 20, 2016), https://www./events/ballistic-missile-defense-system-update-1. 【5】“U.S. successfully tests airborne laser on missile,” Reuters, February 12, 2020, https://www./ article/usa-arms-laser/u-s-successfully-tests-airborne-laser-on-missile-idUSN1111660620100212?type=mar ketsNews; and “Airborne Laser Test Bed Successful in Lethal Intercept Experiment,” Missile Defense Agency, press release, February 11, 2010, https://www./news/10news0002.html. 【6】Robert Gates, “DoD News Briefing with Secretary Gates from The Pentagon,” (speech, Washington, DC, April 6, 2009), https://archive./Transcripts/Transcript.aspx?TranscriptID=4396. 【7】Sydney Freedberg Jr., “Killing cruise missiles: Pentagon to test rival lasers,” Breaking Defense, December 2, 2019, https:///2019/12/exclusive-three-ways-to-kill-cruise-missiles-pentagon-to-test-rival-lasers/; and Megan Eckstein, “Navy, MDA Experimenting with Laser Prototypes For Surface Warfare, Ballistic Missile Defense,” USNI News, March 29, 2017, https://news./2017/03/29/navy-mda-experimenting-laser-prototypes-surface-warfare-ballistic-missile-defense. 【8】Paul Leisher and Bob Deri, “Advancements in High Efficiency Semiconductor Lasers for High Power Applications,” LLNL-PRES-741702, UCSB IEE Seminar, Santa Barbara, CA, November 16, 2017, https://iee. ucsb.edu/sites/default/files/docs/2017_ucsb_-_leisher_-_high_efficiency_diode_lasers_-_llnl-pres-.pdf; “Laser Design Considerations for Directed Energy Weapons,” Leonardo USA, December 19, 2019, https://www. leonardo.us/blog/laser-design-considerations-for-directed-energy-weapons; and Jeffrey Hecht, “Fiber Lasers Mean Ray Guns Are Coming,” IEEE Spectrum, March 27, 2018, https://spectrum./aerospace/military/ fiber-lasers-mean-ray-guns-are-coming. 【9】David H. Kiel, “Is this the time for a high-energy laser weapon program?,” Optical Engineering 52, no. 2 (October 2012), 021008, doi:10.1117/1.OE.52.2.021008. 【10】K. Takehisa, “New defence system using a chemical oxygen-iodine laser in a high-altitude airship,” Proceedings of SPIE 10798, High-Power Lasers: Technology and Systems, Platforms, and Effects II, 1079803, October 9, 2018, doi:10.1117/12.2318141. 【11】Missile Defense Agency, Boost-phase Missile Defense Options: Report to Congress (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Defense, January 2014). 【12】Robert L. Byer, “Lasers at 50: Meeting the Grand Challenges for the 21st Century,” APS Conference, Portland, OR, March 15, 2010, http://apps3./aps/meetings/march10/presentations/b5-1-byer.pdf; Leisher and Deri, “Advancements in High Efficiency Semiconductor Lasers for High Power Applications”; Jason B. Cutshaw, “Army’s solid-state Laser testbed undergoes trials,” U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Center, January 30, 2014, https://www./article/119153/armys_solid_state_laser_testbed_undergoes_trials; “Solid State Laser Testbed (SSLT),” U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Center, https://www.smdc./ Portals/38/Documents/Publications/Fact_Sheets/SSLT.pdf; and John Cummings, “100kW Solid-State Laser to be Transferred to HELSTF for Field Tests,” U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Center, February 19, 2010, https://www./article/34737/100kw_solid_state_laser_to_be_transferred_to_helstf_for_field_tests. 【13】Ronald O’Rourke, Navy Shipboard Lasers for Surface, Air, and Missile Defense: Background and Issues for Congress, CRS Report No. R41526 (Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, June 2015), https:///sgp/ crs/weapons/R41526.pdf. 【14】Sydney J. Freedberg Jr., “General Atomics’ New Compact, High-Powered Lasers,” Breaking Defense, December 9, 2020, https:///2020/12/general-atomics-new-compact-high-powered-lasers/. 【15】“Defense Department Invests Additional $47 Million in High Energy Laser Scaling Initiative,” Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, April 28, 2020, https://www./wp-content/ uploads/2020/04/2020_Laser_Award_Announcement.pdf. 【16】Sulham, “Laser Demonstration and Performance Characterization of Optically Pumped Alkali Laser Systems.” 【17】Mark Dubinskiy et al., “Lasers for DEW based on fully crystalline fibers,” Army Science and Technology Symposium and Showcase, Washington, DC, August 22, 2018, https://ndiastorage.blob.govcloudapi. net/ndia/2018/armyst/Dubinskiy.pdf. 【18】Jeff Hecht, “Liquid Lasers Challenge Fiber Lasers as the Basis of Future High-Energy Weapons,” IEEE Spectrum, October 21, 2020, https://spectrum./tech-talk/aerospace/military/fiber-lasers-face-a-challenger-in-laser-weapons; and Office of the Undersecretary of Defense (Comptroller), Department of Defense Fiscal Year (FY)2013 President’s Budget Submission: Missile Defense Agency Justification Book Volume 2a: Research, Development, Test & Evaluation, Defense-Wide (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Defense, February 2012), https://comptroller./Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/fy2013/budget_justification/pdfs/03_RDT_ and_E/Missile_Defense_Agency_PB_2013_1.pdf. 【19】Thomas J. Karr, “The OSD HEL Laser Scaling Initiative,” DEPS Annual Science and Technology Symposium, West Point, NY, March 10, 2020. 【20】“Laser Technology,” Northrop Grumman, n.d., https://www./space/laser-technology/; and Phillip Sprangle et al., High-Power Fiber Lasers for Directed-Energy Applications (Washington, DC: Naval Research Laboratory, 2008). 【21】Dubinskiy et al., “Lasers for DEW based on fully crystalline fibers.”; Sprangle et al., Incoherent Combining of High-Power Fiber Lasers for Directed-Energy Applications; and Hecht, “Fiber Lasers Mean Ray Guns Are Coming.” 【22】Karr, “The OSD HEL Laser Scaling Initiative.” 【23】Hossein Fathi, Mikko Närhi, and Regina Gumenyuk, “Towards Ultimate High-Power Scaling: Coherent Beam Combining of Fiber Lasers,” Photonics 8, no. 12 (2021), 566, doi:10.3390/photonics8120566. 【24】Steve Trimble, “General Atomics, Boeing Team Up For High Energy Lasers,” Aviation Week, October 14, 2020, https:///shows-events/ausa-2020/general-atomics-boeing-team-high-energy-lasers. 【25】Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, OSD Laser Scaling Plan. 【26】Karr, “The OSD HEL Laser Scaling Initiative.” 【27】“Diode-Pumped Alkali Laser: A New Combination,” Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, n.d., https:// lasers.llnl.gov/science/photon-science/directed-energy/dpal; William F. Krupke et al., “New Class of CW High-Power Diode-Pumped Alkali Lasers (DPALs),” High-power Laser Ablation Conference, Taos, NM, April 25–30, 2004, https://www./servlets/purl/15013954; and Sulham, “Laser Demonstration and Performance Characterization of Optically Pumped Alkali Laser Systems.” 【28】He Cai et al., “Reviews of a Diode-Pumped Alkali Laser (DPAL): a potential high powered light source,” Proceedings of SPIE 9521, Selected Papers from Conferences of the Photoelectronic Technology Committee of the Chinese Society of Astronautics 2014, Part I, 95211U, March 4, 2015, doi:10.1117/12.2183410. 【29】Tobias Koenning et al., Narrow line diode laser stacks for DPAL pumping (Tucson, AZ: DILAS Diode Laser, May 2014), https://www./sites/default/files/content/white-paper/pdfs/DILAS_Paper%208962- 14.pdf; and Jeff Hecht, “Photonic frontiers: Alkali-Vapor Lasers: Diode pumping enables a new approach to alkali-vapor lasers,” Laser Focus World, April 1, 2011, https://www./lasers-sources/ article/16562871/photonic-frontiers-alkalivapor-lasers-diode-pumping-enables-a-new-approach-to-alkalivapor-lasers. 【30】Hecht, “Photonic frontiers.” 【31】Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, OSD Laser Scaling Plan; Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller), Department of Defense Fiscal Year (FY)2015 Budget Estimates: Missile Defense Agency Defense Wide Justification Book Volume 2a of 5: Research, Development, Test & Evaluation, Defense-Wide (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Defense, March 2014), https:// comptroller./Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/fy2015/budget_justification/pdfs/03_RDT_ and_E/2_RDTE_MasterJustificationBook_Missile_Defense_Agency_PB_2015_Vol_2.pdf; Office of the Undersecretary of Defense (Comptroller), Department of Defense Fiscal Year (FY)2016 President’s Budget Submission: Missile Defense Agency Defense Wide Justification Book Volume 2a of 2: Research, Development, Test & Evaluation, Defense-Wide (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Defense, February 2015), https:// comptroller./Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/fy2016/budget_justification/pdfs/03_RDT_ and_E/MDA_RDTE_MasterJustificationBook_Missile_Defense_Agency_PB_2016_1.pdf; Office of the Undersecretary of Defense (Comptroller), Department of Defense Fiscal Year (FY)2017 President’s Budget Submission: Missile Defense Agency Defense Wide Justification Book Volume 2a of 2: Research, Development, Test & Evaluation, Defense-Wide (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Defense, February 2016), https:// comptroller./Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/FY2017/budget_justification/pdfs/03_RDT_and_E/ MDA_RDTE_MasterJustificationBook_Missile_Defense_Agency_PB_2017_1.pdf; and Jaganath Sankaran, “Chronology of MDA’s Plans for Laser Boost-Phase Defense,” Mostlymissiledefense, August 26, 2016, https:///2016/08/26/chronology-of-mdas-plans-for-laser-boost-phase-defense-august-26-2016/. 【32】Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Approaches for Technology Transfer of Diode Pumped Alkali Laser (DPAL)Technology to Industry (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Defense, May 2020), https:///opportunity/federal-contract-opportunity/approaches-for-technology-transfer-of-diode-pumped-alkali-laser-dpal-technology-to-industry-ousdrandededpalrfi2020. 【33】O’Rourke, Navy Shipboard Lasers for Surface, Air, and Missile Defense, 12, 48. 【34】U.S. Navy, “Scalable Compact Ultra-short Pulse Laser Systems (SCUPLS),” SBIR-STTR, U.S. Small Business Administration, 2018, https://www./sbirsearch/detail/1508927. 【35】U.S. Army, “Tactical Ultrashort Pulsed Laser for Army Platforms,” SBIR-STTR, U.S. Small Business Administration, 2020, https://www./node/1654485; and Chase A. 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Valenzuela, The Impact of Aerosols and Battlefield Obscurants on Ultrashort Laser Pulse Propagation, ADA556794 (Aberdeen, MD: Army Research Laboratory, 2011), https://apps./sti/citations/ADA556794. 【36】Jason Kaneshiro, “Picatinny engineers set phasers to 'fry’,” U.S. Army, June 22, 2012, https://www./ article/82262/; and “Ultrashort Pulse Laser Systems,” AQWest, 2016, https://www./solutions/ lasers-and-electrooptics/ultrashort-pulse-laser-systems. 【37】U.S. Missile Defense Agency, “Missile Defense Agency Request for Information for Pulsed Laser,” MDA21DVRFl011, SAM.gov, U.S. General Services Administration, February 11, 2021, https:/// opportunity/federal-contract-opportunity/missile-defense-agency-request-for-information-for-pulsed-laser-mda21dvrfi011. 【38】Karr, “The OSD HEL Laser Scaling Initiative”; Missile Defense Agency, Laser Scaling Request for Information (RFI)& Industry Day Announcement, 19-MDA-9991 (Albuquerque, NM: Missile Defense Agency, March 2019), https:///opportunity/federal-contract-opportunity/laser-scaling-rfi-industry-day-announcement-hq027719rfi0001; and Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, OSD Laser Scaling Plan. 【39】Office of the Undersecretary of Defense (Comptroller), Department of Defense Fiscal Year (FY)2022 Budget Estimates: Office of the Secretary of Defense Defense-Wide Justification Book Volume 3 of 5: Research, Development, Test & Evaluation, Defense-Wide (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Defense, May 2021), https://comptroller. /Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/fy2022/budget_justification/pdfs/03_RDT_and_E/RDTE_Vol3_ OSD_RDTE_PB22_Justification_Book.pdf. 【40】Freedberg Jr., “Killing Cruise Missiles: Pentagon To Test Rival Lasers.” 【41】Dubinskiy et al., “Lasers for DEW based on fully crystalline fibers; O’Rourke, Navy Shipboard Lasers for Surface, Air, and Missile Defense; “USS Ponce Decommissioned after 46 Years of Service,” U.S. Navy, October 14, 2017, https://www./submit/display.asp?story_id=102868; David Smalley, “Historic Leap: Navy Shipboard Laser Operates in Persian Gulf,” Office of Naval Research, December 10, 2014, https://www.onr./en/ Media-Center/Press-Releases/2014/LaWS-shipboard-laser-uss-ponce; and Jen Judson, “US Army gets world record-setting 60-kW laser,” Defense News, March 16, 2017, https://www./digital-show-dailies/global-force-symposium/2017/03/16/us-army-gets-world-record-setting-60-kw-laser/. 【42】Kip R. Kendrick, “Army looks to optimize lethality with high-energy lasers,” U.S. Army, February 8, 2018, https://www./article/200308/army_looks_to_optimize_lethality_with_high_energy_lasers; Jen Judson, “Dynetics-Lockheed team beats out Raytheon to build 100-kilowatt laser weapon,” Defense News, May 15, 2019, https://www./land/2019/05/16/dynetics-lockheed-team-beats-out-raytheon-to-build-100-kilowatt-laser-weapon/; “Multi-Mission High Energy Laser (MMHEL),” U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Center, https://www.smdc./Portals/38/Documents/Publications/Fact_Sheets/MMHEL.pdf; Garrett Reim, “US Air Force Research Lab starts building airborne laser weapon,” Flight Global, February 23, 2021, https://www./fixed-wing/us-air-force-research-lab-starts-building-airborne-laser-weapon/142578.article; and Air Force Research Laboratory, AFRL Directed Energy Directorate: Laser Weapon Systems (Albuquerque, NM: Air Force Research Laboratory, 2016), https://www.kirtland./Portals/52/documents/LaserSystems.pdf. 【43】Barbara Gefvert et al., “Annual Laser Market Review & Forecast 2019: What goes up…,” Laser Focus World, January 1, 2019, https://www./lasers-sources/article/16556290/annual-laser-market-review-forecast-2019-what-goes-up; “Air Force Research Laboratory completes successful shoot down of air-launched missiles,” 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs, May 3, 2019, https://www. wpafb./DesktopModules/ArticleCS/Print.aspx?PortalId=60&ModuleId=8664&Article=1834836; Mikayla Mast, “High energy laser engineers engage with West Point cadets,” U.S. Army, March 18, 2020, https://www./article/233764/high_energy_laser_engineers_engage_with_west_point_cadets; Kyle Mizokami, “The U.S. Army Plans To Field the Most Powerful Laser Weapon Yet,” Popular Mechanics, August 7, 2019, https://www./military/weapons/a28636854/powerful-laser-weapon/; and Bryan Ripple, “Enemy drone operators may soon face the power of THOR,” 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs, September 24, 2019, https://www.wpafb./DesktopModules/ArticleCS/Print. aspx?PortalId=60&ModuleId=8664&Article=1969142; and Hecht, “Fiber Lasers Mean Ray Guns Are Coming.” 【44】Office of the Undersecretary of Defense (Comptroller), Department of Defense Fiscal Year (FY)2018 Budget Estimates: Missile Defense Agency Defense-Wide Justification Book Volume 2a of 2: Research Development, Test & Evaluation, Defense-Wide (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Defense, May 2017), https://comptroller. /Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/FY2018/budget_justification/pdfs/03_RDT_and_E/U_RDTE_ MasterJustificationBook_Missile_Defense_Agency_PB_2018_Vol2a_Vol2b.pdf; Aaron Mehta, “Griffin 'extremely skeptical’ of airborne lasers for missile defense,” Defense News, May 20, 2020, https://www.defensenews. com/2020/05/20/griffin-extremely-skeptical-of-airborne-lasers-for-missile-defense/; U.S. Congress, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, H.R 6395, 116th Cong., 2nd sess., Introduced in House March 3, 2020, https://www./bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6395; and U.S. Congress, House, Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, FY21 National Defense Authorization Bill, 116th Cong., 2nd sess., June 21, 2020, https://www./116/meeting/house/110784/documents/BILLS-116HR6395ih-STRSubcommitteeMarkup.pdf. 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