Combat laser systems of the USSR

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Scientific and experimental complex "Terra-3" according to American ideas. In the United States, it was believed that the complex was intended for anti-satellite targets with the transition to missile defense in the future. The drawing was first presented by the American delegation at the Geneva talks in 1978. View from the south-east.

The idea of using a high-energy laser to destroy ballistic missile warheads at the final stage was formulated in 1964 by NG Basov and ON Krokhin (FIAN MI. PN Lebedeva). In the fall of 1965 N. G. Basov, scientific director of VNIIEF Yu. B. Khariton, deputy director of GOI for scientific work E. N. Tsarevsky and chief designer of Vympel design bureau G. V. Kisunko sent a note to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. which talked about the fundamental possibility of hitting warheads of ballistic missiles with laser radiation and proposed to deploy an appropriate experimental program. The proposal was approved by the Central Committee of the CPSU and the program of work on the creation of a laser firing unit for missile defense tasks, prepared jointly by OKB Vympel, FIAN and VNIIEF, was approved by a government decision in 1966.

The proposals were based on the LPI's study of high-energy photodissociation lasers (PDLs) based on organic iodides and the proposal of VNIIEF on "pumping" PDLs with "light of a strong shock wave created in an inert gas by an explosion." The State Optical Institute (GOI) has also joined the work. The program was named "Terra-3" and provided for the creation of lasers with an energy of more than 1 MJ, as well as the creation of a scientific and experimental firing laser complex (NEC) 5N76 on their basis at the Balkhash test site, where the ideas of a laser system for missile defense were to be tested in natural conditions. N. G. Basov was appointed the scientific supervisor of the "Terra-3" program.

In 1969, the Vympel Design Bureau separated the SKB team, on the basis of which the Luch Central Design Bureau (later NPO Astrophysics) was formed, which was entrusted with the implementation of the Terra-3 program.

Work under the Terra-3 program developed in two main directions: laser ranging (including the problem of target selection) and laser destruction of warheads of ballistic missiles. The work on the program was preceded by the following achievements: in 1961 the idea of creating photodissociation lasers arose (Rautian and Sobelman, FIAN) and in 1962 laser ranging research began at OKB "Vympel" together with FIAN, and it was also proposed to use the radiation of the shock front waves for optical pumping of a laser (Krokhin, FIAN, 1962). In 1963, the Vympel Design Bureau began the development of the LE-1 laser locator project.

FIAN investigated a new phenomenon in the field of nonlinear laser optics - wavefront reversal of radiation. This is a major discovery

allowed in the future in a completely new and very successful approach to solving a number of problems in the physics and technology of high-power lasers, primarily the problems of forming an extremely narrow beam and its ultra-precise aiming at a target. For the first time, it was in the Terra-3 program that specialists from VNIIEF and FIAN proposed to use wavefront reversal to target and deliver energy to a target.

In 1994, NG Basov, answering a question about the results of the Terra-3 laser program, said: "Well, we firmly established that no one can shoot down a ballistic missile warhead with a laser beam, and we have made great advances in lasers …" at the end of the 1990s, all work at the facilities of the Terra-3 complex was discontinued.

Subprograms and directions of research "Terra-3":

Complex 5N26 with a laser locator LE-1 under the Terra-3 program:

The potential of laser locators to provide an especially high accuracy of target position measurements was studied at the Vympel Design Bureau, starting in 1962. As a result of the research carried out by OKB Vympel, using the forecasts of the N. G. Basov group, studies, at the beginning of 1963, a project was presented to the Military-Industrial Commission (the military-industrial complex, the state administration body of the military-industrial complex of the USSR) to create an experimental laser locator for ABM, which received the code name LE-1. The decision to create an experimental installation at the Sary-Shagan test site with a range of up to 400 km was approved in September 1963. the project was being developed at the Vympel Design Bureau (G. E. Tikhomirov's laboratory). The design of the optical systems of the radar was carried out by the State Optical Institute (laboratory of P. P. Zakharov). The construction of the facility began in the late 1960s.

The project was based on the work of FIAN on research and development of ruby lasers. The locator was supposed to search for targets in a short time in the "error field" of the radars, which provided target designation to the laser locator, which required very high average powers of the laser emitter at that time. The final choice of the structure of the locator determined the real state of work on ruby lasers, the achievable parameters of which in practice turned out to be much lower than those originally assumed: the average power of one laser instead of the expected 1 kW was about 10 W. Experiments carried out in the laboratory of N. G. Basov at the Lebedev Physical Institute showed that increasing the power by successively amplifying the laser signal in a chain (cascade) of laser amplifiers, as was initially envisaged, is possible only up to a certain level. Too powerful radiation destroyed the laser crystals themselves. Difficulties also arose associated with thermooptical distortions of radiation in crystals.

In this regard, it was necessary to install in the radar not one, but 196 lasers alternately operating at a frequency of 10 Hz with an energy per pulse of 1 J. The total average radiation power of the multichannel laser transmitter of the locator was about 2 kW. This led to a significant complication of his scheme, which was multipath both when emitting and registering a signal. It was necessary to create high-precision high-speed optical devices for the formation, switching and guidance of 196 laser beams, which determined the search field in the target space. In the receiving device of the locator, an array of 196 specially designed PMTs was used. The task was complicated by errors associated with large-sized movable optical-mechanical systems of the telescope and optical-mechanical switches of the locator, as well as with distortions introduced by the atmosphere. The total length of the optical path of the locator reached 70 m and included many hundreds of optical elements - lenses, mirrors and plates, including moving ones, the mutual alignment of which had to be maintained with the highest accuracy.

Transmitting lasers of the LE-1 locator, Sary-Shagan training ground (footage of the documentary film "Beam Masters", 2009).

In 1969, the LE-1 project was transferred to the Luch Central Design Bureau of the USSR Ministry of Defense Industry. ND Ustinov was appointed the chief designer of the LE-1. 1970-1971 the development of the LE-1 locator was completed as a whole. A broad cooperation of defense industry enterprises took part in the creation of the locator: by the efforts of LOMO and the Leningrad plant "Bolshevik", a telescope TG-1 for LE-1, unique in terms of a set of parameters, was created, the chief designer of the telescope was B. K. Ionesiani (LOMO). This telescope with a main mirror 1.3 m in diameter provided a high optical quality of the laser beam when operating at speeds and accelerations hundreds of times higher than those of classical astronomical telescopes. Many new radar nodes were created: high-speed, accurate scanning and switching systems for controlling the laser beam, photodetectors, electronic signal processing and synchronization units, and other devices. The control of the locator was automatic using computer technology; the locator was connected to the radar stations of the polygon using digital data transmission lines.

With the participation of the Geofizika Central Design Bureau (D. M. Khorol), a laser transmitter was developed, which included 196 lasers that were very advanced at that time, a system for their cooling and power supply. For LE-1, the production of high-quality laser ruby crystals, nonlinear KDP crystals and many other elements was organized. In addition to N. D. Ustinov, the development of LE-1 was led by O. A. Ushakov, G. E. Tikhomirov and S. V. Bilibin.

The construction of the facility began in 1973. In 1974, adjustment work was completed and testing of the facility with the TG-1 telescope of the LE-1 locator began. In 1975, during the tests, a confident location of an aircraft-type target at a distance of 100 km was achieved, and work began on the location of warheads of ballistic missiles and satellites. 1978-1980 With the help of the LE-1, high-precision trajectory measurements and guidance of missiles, warheads and space objects were carried out. In 1979, the LE-1 laser locator as a means for accurate trajectory measurements was accepted for joint maintenance of military unit 03080 (GNIIP No. 10 of the USSR Ministry of Defense, Sary-Shagan). For the creation of the LE-1 locator in 1980, the employees of the Luch Central Design Bureau were awarded the Lenin and State Prizes of the USSR. Active work on the LE-1 locator, incl. with the modernization of some of the electronic circuits and other equipment, continued until the mid-1980s. Work was underway to obtain non-coordinate information about objects (information about the shape of objects, for example). On October 10, 1984, the 5N26 / LE-1 laser locator measured the parameters of the target - the Challenger reusable spacecraft (USA) - see the Status section below for more details.

TTX locator5N26 / LE-1:

The number of lasers in the path - 196 pcs.

Optical path length - 70 m

Average power of the installation - 2 kW

Range of the locator - 400 km (according to the project)

Coordinate determination accuracy:

- by range - no more than 10 m (according to the project)

- in elevation - a few arc seconds (according to the project)

Telescope TG-1 of the LE-1 laser locator, Sary-Shagan training ground (frame of the documentary "Beam Masters", 2009).

Telescope TG-1 of the LE-1 laser locator - the protective dome is gradually shifting to the left, the Sary-Shagan training ground (frame of the documentary film "The Lords of the Beam", 2009).

Telescope TG-1 of laser locator LE-1 in working position, Sary-Shagan training ground (Polskikh S. D., Goncharova G. V. SSC RF FSUE NPO Astrophysics. Presentation. 2009).

Investigation of photodissociation iodine lasers (PFDL) under the "Terra-3" program

The first laboratory photodissociation laser (PDL) was created in 1964 by J. V. Kasper and G. S. Pimentel. Because analysis showed that the creation of a super-powerful ruby laser pumped by a flash lamp turned out to be impossible, then in 1965 N. G. Basov and O. N. the idea of using high-power and high-energy radiation of the shock front in xenon as a radiation source. It was also assumed that a ballistic missile's warhead would be defeated due to the reactive effect of rapid evaporation under the influence of the laser of a part of the warhead's shell. Such PDLs are based on a physical idea formulated back in 1961 by S. G. Rautian and I. I. Sobelman, who showed theoretically that it is possible to obtain excited atoms or molecules by photodissociation of more complex molecules when they are irradiated with a powerful (non-laser) light flux … Work on explosive FDL (VFDL) as part of the "Terra-3" program was deployed in the cooperation of FIAN (V. S. Zuev, theory of VFDL), VNIIEF (G. A. Kirillov, experiments with VFDL), Central Design Bureau "Luch" with the participation of GOI, GIPH and other enterprises. In a short time, the path was passed from small and medium-sized prototypes to a number of unique high-energy VFDL samples produced by industrial enterprises. A feature of this class of lasers was their disposability - the VFD laser exploded during operation, completely destroyed.

Schematic diagram of the work of VFDL (Zarubin P. V., Polskikh S. V. From the history of the creation of high-energy lasers and laser systems in the USSR. Presentation. 2011).

The first experiments with PDL, carried out in 1965-1967, gave very encouraging results, and by the end of 1969 at VNIIEF (Sarov) under the leadership of S. B. Kormer with the participation of scientists from FIAN and GOI, the tested PDLs with a pulse energy of hundreds of thousands of joules, which was about 100 times higher than that of any laser known in those years. Of course, it was not immediately possible to come to the creation of iodine PDLs with extremely high energies. Various versions of the design of lasers have been tested. A decisive step in the implementation of a workable design suitable for obtaining high radiation energies was taken in 1966, when, as a result of a study of experimental data, it was shown that the proposal of scientists from FIAN and VNIIEF (1965) to remove the quartz wall separating the pump radiation source and active environment can be implemented. The general design of the laser was significantly simplified and reduced to a shell in the form of a tube, inside or on the outer wall of which an elongated explosive charge was located, and at the ends there were mirrors of the optical resonator. This approach made it possible to design and test lasers with a working cavity diameter of more than a meter and a length of tens of meters. These lasers were assembled from standard sections about 3 m long.

Somewhat later (since 1967), a team of gas dynamics and lasers headed by VK Orlov, which was formed at the Vympel Design Bureau, and then transferred to the Luch Central Design Bureau, was successfully engaged in the research and design of an explosively pumped PDL. In the course of the work, dozens of issues were considered: from the physics of the propagation of shock and light waves in a laser medium to the technology and compatibility of materials and the creation of special tools and methods for measuring the parameters of high-power laser radiation. There were also issues of explosion technology: the operation of the laser required obtaining an extremely "smooth" and straight front of the shock wave. This problem was solved, charges were designed and methods for their detonation were developed, which made it possible to obtain the required smooth shock front. The creation of these VFDLs made it possible to begin experiments to study the effect of high-intensity laser radiation on the materials and structures of targets. The work of the measuring complex was provided by GOI (I. M. Belousova).

Testing ground for VFD lasers VNIIEF (Zarubin PV, Polskikh SV From the history of the creation of high-energy lasers and laser systems in the USSR. Presentation. 2011).

Study of the effect of laser radiation on materials under the "Terra-3" program:

An extensive research program was carried out to investigate the effects of high-energy laser radiation on a variety of objects. Steel samples, various samples of optics, and various applied objects were used as "targets". In general, B. V. Zamyshlyaev headed the direction of studies of the impact on objects, and A. M. Bonch-Bruevich headed the direction of research on the radiation strength of optics. Work on the program was carried out from 1968 to 1976.

The impact of VEL radiation on the cladding element (Zarubin P. V., Polskikh S. V. From the history of the creation of high-energy lasers and laser systems in the USSR. Presentation. 2011).

Steel sample 15 cm thick. Exposure to solid-state laser. (Zarubin PV, Polskikh SV From the history of the creation of high-energy lasers and laser systems in the USSR. Presentation. 2011).

The impact of VEL radiation on optics (Zarubin P. V., Polskikh S. V. From the history of the creation of high-energy lasers and laser systems in the USSR. Presentation. 2011).

The impact of a high-energy CO2 laser on a model aircraft, NPO Almaz, 1976 (Zarubin PV, Polskikh SV From the history of the creation of high-energy lasers and laser systems in the USSR. Presentation. 2011).

Study of high-energy electric-discharge lasers under the "Terra-3" program:

Reusable electric discharge PDLs required a very powerful and compact pulsed electric current source. As such a source, it was decided to use explosive magnetic generators, the development of which was carried out by the VNIIEF team led by A. I. Pavlovsky for other purposes. It should be noted that A. D. Sakharov was also at the origin of these works. Explosive magnetic generators (otherwise they are called magneto-cumulative generators), just like conventional PD lasers, are destroyed during operation when their charge explodes, but their cost is many times lower than the cost of a laser. Explosive-magnetic generators, specially designed for electric-discharge chemical photodissociation lasers by A. I. Pavlovsky and colleagues, contributed to the creation in 1974 of an experimental laser with a radiation energy per pulse of about 90 kJ. The tests of this laser were completed in 1975.

In 1975, a group of designers at the Luch Central Design Bureau, headed by VK Orlov, proposed abandoning explosive WFD lasers with a two-stage scheme (SRS) and replacing them with electric-discharge PD lasers. This required the next revision and adjustment of the project of the complex. It was supposed to use a FO-13 laser with a pulse energy of 1 mJ.

Large electric-discharge lasers assembled by VNIIEF. <

Study of high-energy electron-beam-controlled lasers under the "Terra-3" program:

Work on a frequency-pulse laser 3D01 of a megawatt class with ionization by an electron beam began at the Central Design Bureau "Luch" on the initiative and with the participation of N. G. Basov and later spun off into a separate direction at the OKB "Raduga" (later - GNIILTs "Raduga") under the leadership of G. G. Dolgova-Savelyeva. In an experimental work in 1976 with an electron-beam-controlled CO2 laser, an average power of about 500 kW was achieved at a repetition rate of up to 200 Hz. A scheme with a "closed" gas-dynamic loop was used. Later, an improved frequency-pulse laser KS-10 was created (Central Design Bureau "Astrophysics", NV Cheburkin).

Frequency-pulse electroionization laser 3D01. (Zarubin PV, Polskikh SV From the history of the creation of high-energy lasers and laser systems in the USSR. Presentation. 2011).

Scientific and experimental shooting complex 5N76 "Terra-3":

In 1966, the Vympel Design Bureau under the leadership of OA Ushakov began the development of a draft design for the Terra-3 experimental polygon complex. The work on the preliminary design continued until 1969. The military engineer NN Shakhonsky was the immediate supervisor of the development of the structures. The deployment of the complex was planned at the missile defense site in Sary-Shagan. The complex was intended for conducting experiments on the destruction of warheads of ballistic missiles with high-energy lasers. The project of the complex was repeatedly corrected in the period from 1966 to 1975. Since 1969, the design of the Terra-3 complex has been carried out by the Luch Central Design Bureau under the leadership of MG Vasin. The complex was supposed to be created using a two-stage Raman laser with the main laser located at a considerable distance (about 1 km) from the guidance system. This was due to the fact that in VFD lasers, when emitting, it was supposed to use up to 30 tons of explosive, which could have an impact on the accuracy of the guidance system. It was also necessary to ensure that there was no mechanical effect of fragments of VFD lasers. Radiation from the Raman laser to the guidance system was supposed to be transmitted through an underground optical channel. It was supposed to use the AZh-7T laser.

In 1969, at GNIIP No. 10 of the USSR Ministry of Defense (military unit 03080, Sary-Shagan missile defense training ground) at site No. 38 (military unit 06544), construction of facilities for experimental work on laser topics began. In 1971, the construction of the complex was temporarily suspended for technical reasons, but in 1973, probably after adjusting the project, it was resumed again.

Technical reasons (according to the source - Zarubin PV "Academician Basov …") consisted in the fact that at a micron wavelength of laser radiation it was practically impossible to focus the beam onto a relatively small area. Those.if the target is at a distance of more than 100 km, then the natural angular divergence of optical laser radiation in the atmosphere as a result of scattering is 0, 0001 degrees. This was established in the Institute of Atmospheric Optics at the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences in Tomsk, which was headed by Acad. V. E. Zuev. From this it followed that the laser radiation spot at a distance of 100 km would have a diameter of at least 20 meters, and the energy density over an area of 1 sq. Cm with a total laser source energy of 1 MJ would be less than 0.1 J / cm 2. This is too little - in order to hit a rocket (create a hole of 1 cm2 in it, depressurizing it), more than 1 kJ / cm2 is required. And if initially it was supposed to use VFD lasers on the complex, then after identifying the problem with focusing the beam, the developers began to lean towards the use of two-stage combiner lasers based on Raman scattering.

The design of the guidance system was carried out by GOI (P. P. Zakharov) together with LOMO (R. M. Kasherininov, B. Ya. Gutnikov). The high-precision slewing ring was created at the Bolshevik plant. High-precision drives and backlash-free gearboxes for slewing bearings were developed by the Central Research Institute of Automation and Hydraulics with the participation of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University. The main optical path was completely made on mirrors and did not contain transparent optical elements that could be destroyed by radiation.

In 1975, a group of designers at the Luch Central Design Bureau, headed by VK Orlov, proposed abandoning explosive WFD lasers with a two-stage scheme (SRS) and replacing them with electric-discharge PD lasers. This required the next revision and adjustment of the project of the complex. It was supposed to use a FO-13 laser with a pulse energy of 1 mJ. Ultimately, the facilities with combat lasers were never completed and put into operation. Was built and used only the guidance system of the complex.

Academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences B. V. Bunkin (NPO Almaz) was appointed general designer of experimental work at "object 2506" (the "Omega" complex of anti-aircraft defense weapons - KSV PSO); -3 ″) - Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences ND Ustinov (Central Design Bureau “Luch”). The scientific supervisor of the work is the vice-president of the USSR Academy of Sciences, academician E. P. Velikhov. From military unit 03080, the analysis of the functioning of the first prototypes of laser means of PSO and missile defense was supervised by the head of the 4th department of the 1st department, engineer-lieutenant colonel G. I. Semenikhin. From the 4th GUMO since 1976, control over the development and testing of weapons and military equipment based on new physical principles using lasers was carried out by the head of the department, who in 1980 became Lenin Prize laureates for this cycle of work, Colonel Yu. V. Rubanenko. At the "object 2505" ("Terra-3"), construction was going on, first of all, at the control and firing position (KOP) 5Zh16K and in zones "G" and "D". Already in November 1973, the first experimental combat work was carried out at the KOP in the conditions of the training ground. In 1974, to summarize the work carried out on the creation of weapons based on new physical principles, an exhibition was organized at the test site in the "Zone G" showing the latest tools developed by the entire industry of the USSR in this area. The exhibition was visited by the Minister of Defense of the USSR Marshal of the Soviet Union A. A. Grechko. Combat work was carried out using a special generator. The combat crew was led by Lieutenant Colonel I. V. Nikulin. For the first time at the test site, a target the size of a five-kopeck coin was hit by a laser at a short range.

The initial design of the Terra-3 complex in 1969, the final design in 1974 and the volume of the implemented components of the complex. (Zarubin PV, Polskikh SV From the history of the creation of high-energy lasers and laser systems in the USSR. Presentation. 2011).

The successes achieved accelerated work on the creation of an experimental combat laser complex 5N76 "Terra-3". The complex consisted of building 41 / 42B (southern building, sometimes called "41st site"), which housed a command and computing center based on three M-600 computers, an accurate laser locator 5N27 - an analogue of the LE-1 / 5N26 laser locator (see above), data transmission system, universal time system, system of special technical equipment, communications, signaling. Test work on this facility was carried out by the 5th department of the 3rd test complex (head of the department, Colonel I. V. Nikulin). However, on the 5N76 complex, the bottleneck was the lag in the development of a powerful special generator for the implementation of the technical characteristics of the complex. It was decided to install an experimental generator module (simulator with a CO2 laser) with the achieved characteristics for testing the combat algorithm. We had to build structure 6A for this module (south-north building, sometimes called "Terra-2") not far from building 41 / 42B. The problem of the special generator was never solved. The structure for the combat laser was erected to the north of "Site 41", a tunnel with communications and a data transmission system led to it, but the installation of the combat laser was not carried out.

Tests of the guidance system began in 1976-1977, but work on the main firing lasers did not leave the design stage, and after a series of meetings with the Minister of Defense Industry of the USSR S. A. Zverev, it was decided to close the Terra- 3 ″. In 1978, with the consent of the USSR Ministry of Defense, the program for the creation of the 5N76 "Terra-3" complex was officially closed. The installation was not put into operation and did not work in full, it did not solve combat missions. The construction of the complex was not fully completed - the guidance system was installed in full, the auxiliary lasers of the guidance system locator and the force beam simulator were mounted.

In 1979, a ruby laser was included in the installation - a simulator of a combat laser - an array of 19 ruby lasers. And in 1982 it was supplemented by a CO2 laser. In addition, the complex included an information complex designed to ensure the functioning of the guidance system, a guidance and beam holding system with a 5N27 high-precision laser locator, designed to accurately determine the coordinates of the target. The capabilities of the 5N27 made it possible not only to determine the range to the target, but also to obtain accurate characteristics along its trajectory, the shape of the object, its size (non-coordinate information). With the help of 5N27, observations of space objects were carried out. The complex carried out tests on the effect of radiation on the target, aiming the laser beam at the target. With the help of the complex, studies were carried out to direct the beam of a low-power laser to aerodynamic targets and to study the processes of propagation of a laser beam in the atmosphere.

In 1988, tests of the guidance system on artificial earth satellites were carried out, but by 1989, work on laser topics began to curtail. In 1989, at the initiative of Velikhov, the "Terra-3" installation was shown to a group of American scientists and congressmen. By the end of the 1990s, all work on the complex was discontinued. As of 2004, the main structure of the complex was still intact, but by 2007 most of the structure had been dismantled. All metal parts of the complex are also missing.

Scheme of construction 41 / 42В complex 5Н76 "Terra-3" (Natural Resources Defense Council, from Rambo54,

The main part of the 41 / 42B structure of the 5H76 "Terra-3" complex is the telescope of the guidance system and the protective dome, the picture was taken during a visit to the facility by the American delegation, 1989 (photo by Thomas B. Cochran, from Rambo54,

The guidance system of the "Terra-3" complex with a laser locator (Zarubin PV, Polskikh SV From the history of the creation of high-energy lasers and laser systems in the USSR. Presentation. 2011).

- 1984 October 10 - the 5N26 / LE-1 laser locator measured the parameters of the target - the Challenger reusable spacecraft (USA). Autumn 1983Marshal of the Soviet Union DF Ustinov suggested the commander of the ABM and PKO Troops Yu. Votintsev to use a laser complex to accompany the "shuttle". At that time, a team of 300 specialists was performing improvements at the complex. This was reported by Yu. Votintsev to the Minister of Defense. On October 10, 1984, during the 13th flight of the Challenger shuttle (USA), when its orbital orbits took place in the area of the Sary-Shagan test site, the experiment took place when the laser installation was operating in the detection mode with the minimum radiation power. The orbital altitude of the spacecraft at that time was 365 km, the inclined detection and tracking range was 400-800 km. Accurate target designation of the laser installation was issued by the 5N25 "Argun" radar measuring complex.

As the crew of the "Challenger" later reported, during the flight over the Balkhash area, the ship suddenly disconnected communication, there were equipment malfunctions, and the astronauts themselves felt unwell. The Americans began to sort it out. Soon they realized that the crew had been subjected to some kind of artificial influence from the USSR, and they declared an official protest. Based on humane considerations, in the future, the laser installation, and part of the radio engineering complexes of the test site, which have a high energy potential, were not used to escort the Shuttles. In August 1989, a part of a laser system designed to aim a laser at an object was shown to the American delegation.

If it is possible to shoot down a strategic missile warhead with a laser when it has already entered the atmosphere, it is probably possible to attack aerodynamic targets as well: airplanes, helicopters and cruise missiles? This problem was also taken care of in our military department, and soon after the start of Terra-3, a decree was issued on the launch of the Omega project, a laser air defense system. This took place at the end of February 1967. The development of the anti-aircraft laser was entrusted to the Strela Design Bureau (a little later it would be renamed the Almaz Central Design Bureau). Relatively quickly, Strela carried out all the necessary calculations and formed an approximate appearance of the anti-aircraft laser complex (for convenience, we will introduce the term ZLK). In particular, it was required to raise the beam energy to at least 8-10 megajoules. Firstly, the ZLK was created with an eye on practical application, and secondly, it is necessary to shoot down an aerodynamic target quickly until it reaches the required line (for aircraft, this is launching missiles, dropping bombs or a target in the case of cruise missiles). Therefore, it was decided to make the energy of the "salvo" approximately equal to the energy of the explosion of the warhead of the anti-aircraft missile.

In 1972, the first Omega equipment arrived at the Sary-Shagan test site. The assembly of the complex was carried out on the so-called. object 2506 ("Terra-3" worked at object 2505). The experimental ZLK did not include a combat laser - it was not yet ready - a radiation simulator was installed instead. Simply put, the laser is less powerful. Also, the installation had a laser locator-rangefinder for detection, identification and preliminary targeting. With a radiation simulator, they worked out the guidance system and studied the interaction of the laser beam with the air. The laser simulator was made according to the so-called. technology on glass with neodymium, the locator-rangefinder was based on a ruby emitter. In addition to the features of the operation of the laser air defense system, which was undoubtedly useful, a number of shortcomings were also identified. The main one is the wrong choice of the combat laser system. It turned out that neodymium glass could not provide the required power. The rest of the problems were easily solved with less blood.

All the experience gained during the tests of "Omega" was used in the creation of the "Omega-2" complex. Its main part - a combat laser - was now built on a fast-flowing gas system with electric pumping. Carbon dioxide was chosen as the active medium. The sighting system was made on the basis of the Karat-2 television system. The result of all the improvements was the debris of the RUM-2B target smoking on the ground, for the first time it happened on September 22, 1982. During the tests of the "Omega-2" several more targets were shot down, the complex was even recommended for use in the troops, but not only to surpass, even to catch up with the characteristics of the existing air defense systems, the laser could not.