I-Poll: Ingabe Uyafuna Ukusebenza Iviki Elifushane?

Zombili izinhlelo zinikeza ithuba lokungabizi ukuzisebenzisa. Umthethosivivinywa kagesi ngokwawo ungasukela “kusuka ku-US $5 kuye ku-$10,” ukuze ushaye imizuzwana embalwa, kusho uMichael Perry, iphini likamongameli ophethe izinhlelo ze-laser zeGeneral Atomics.

Kungani sithola ama-ray guns kuphela manje, ngaphezu kwekhulu leminyaka ngemva kwe-HG Wells wazicabangela encwadini yakhe ye-sci-fi Impi Yamazwe? Kubeke phansi ngokwengxenye ekukhuleni kwesidingo sokuvikela imicibisholo eshibhile, kodwa ngokuyinhloko kuwumphumela wentuthuko yobuchwepheshe kumalaser anamandla amakhulu.

Ukulinda okudala kwama-lasers anamandla asetshenzisiwe ukusabela kwamakhemikhali kugesi ogelezayo. Leyo ndlela yayixakile, isindayo, futhi iyingozi, futhi i-laser ngokwayo yaba into evuthayo ukuze izitha zihlasele. Inzuzo yayiwukuthi la ma-lasers amakhemikhali angenziwa abe namandla amakhulu, okude kakhulu namalaser e-ruby angenamandla amangalisa izibukeli emuva ngeminyaka yawo-1960s. ukubhoboza izimbobo kuma-razor blades (ngamazinga wamandla alinganiswa ngo-“ama-gillettes”).

“Ngama-laser, uma ungayibona, ungayibulala.” – URobert Afzal, u-Lockheed Martin

Ngo-2014, ama-fiber lasers ayesefinyelele lapho ayengase acatshangelwe khona njengezikhali, futhi eyodwa imodeli 30-kW yafakwa ku-USS Ponce, lapho ibonise khona amandla okudubula izikebhe ezisheshayo nama-drones amancane ebangeni eliseduze. Ama-laser we-fiber angu-300-kW asetshenziswayo manje kumaphrojekthi amabili Amasosha akhipha amandla angaba ngu-100 kW, anele ukushisa okuhlosiwe okukhulu kakhulu (ingasaphathwa eye-gillettes) emabangeni amakhulu.

“I-laser yalelo klasi ingasebenza ngempumelelo ngokumelene nezinhlobonhlobo zezinto ezihlosiwe, okuhlanganisa imicibisholo ye-cruise, ama-mortar, ama-UAV, nezindiza,” kusho uPerry. “Kodwa hhayi izimoto ezingena kabusha [launched by ballistic missiles].” Lawo ngama-warheads, futhi ukuze uwaxoshe, uthi, kuzodingeka ukuthi ushaye i-rocket uma isesigabeni sokuthuthukisa, okungasho ukubeka i-laser yakho ku-orbit. I-Laser tech isekude kakhulu nokwenza umsebenzi onjalo.

Noma kunjalo, lezi zikhali zekusasa ngokungangabazeki zizothola inala yokusebenza ezweni lanamuhla. U-Israyeli wenza izindaba April ngokuhlola inkundla i-laser evikela imicibisholo ehamba emoyeni ebizwa ngokuthi i-Iron Beam, umdlalo osegameni elithi Iron Dome, uhlelo lwezicibisholo elusebenzise ukwehlisa amarokhethi aqhunyiswa eGaza. Isistimu ye-laser, kubikwa ukuthi ilinganiselwa ku-100 kW, ayikakasebenzi futhi ayikakayiboni impi, kodwa ngolunye usuku ingase ikwazi ukufaka ama-photons esikhundleni seminye, uma kungesiyo yonke, imicibisholo ye-Iron Dome. Amanye amazwe anamakhono afanayo, noma athi anawo. NgoMeyi, iRussia yathi isebenzise i-laser ukushisa indiza yase-Ukraine eqhele ngamakhilomitha amahlanu, okuyisimangalo sokuthi umongameli wase-Ukraine, uVolodymyr Zelenskyy, usulu.

Okuhle nokubi kwezikhali zamandla aqondisiwe

Umcibisholo uchithwa amandla amancane, 2013 inguqulo I-Lockheed Martin’s fiber laserwww.youtube.com

Akuzona zonke izibhamu ze-ray okufanele zibe ama-lasers, noma kunjalo. NgoMashi, Izindaba zaseTaiwan kubika ukuthi abacwaningi baseShayina bakhe isikhali se-microwave okwakungabekwa ngaso ku-orbit ukusuka lapho ama-pulses aso angu-5-megawatt ayengathosa inhliziyo ye-electronic yesathelayithi yesitha. Kodwa ukwenza umshini onjalo elebhu kuhluke kakhulu ekuwusebenziseni ensimini, ingasaphathwa emkhathini, lapho ukunikeza amandla nokukhipha ukushisa kwemfucuza kudala izinkinga ezinkulu.

Ngenxa yokuthi ukusebenza kwama-laser kwehla esimweni sezulu esibi, awakwazi ukuthenjelwa wona ngokwawo ukuze avikele okuqondiwe okubaluleke kakhulu. Kunalokho kufanele amataniswe nezikhali ze-kinetic—imicibisholo noma izinhlamvu—ukwakha uhlelo lokuvikela olunezingqimba.

“Ngama-laser, uma ungayibona, ungayibulala; ngokuvamile imvula neqhwa akuzona izithiyo ezinkulu,” kusho u-Robert Afzal, uchwepheshe we-laser e-Lockheed Martin. “Kodwa ifu lokuduma—kunzima lokho.”

U-Afzal uthi lapho kubekwa i-laser phezulu, kuyancipha ukuphazamiseka ezobhekana nakho, kodwa kukhona ukuhwebelana. “Ngendiza unenani elincane lezinsiza—umthamo omncane, isisindo esincane—onawo. Emkhunjini, unezinsiza eziningi ezitholakalayo, kodwa usemkhathini wasolwandle, obumnyama kakhulu, ngakho-ke ungase udinge amandla engeziwe ukuze ufike lapho uhlosiwe. Futhi Ibutho Lezempi liphakathi: Libhekana nezinsongo eziseduze, njengamarokhethi nezinsimbi, futhi badinga umagazini ojulile, ngoba babhekana nezinhloso eziningi kakhulu. ”

Kuzo zonke izimo, iphuzu liwukusebenzisa imicibisholo ebizayo ye-antimissile kuphela uma kufanele. I-Israel ikhethe ukulandela izikhali ze-laser ngokwengxenye ngoba imicibisholo yayo ye-Iron Dome ibiza kakhulu kunamarokhethi angahlosiwe, ikakhulukazi enziwe ekhaya abavikela kuwo. Amanye ama-drones ezempi asezindizayo eRussia nase-Ukraine manje ngeke phula isabelomali sohlobo olungcono lwe-hobbyist. Futhi kungaba ukunqoba kwe-Pyrrhic ngempela ukubadubula usuka esibhakabhakeni ngama-projectiles abiza kakhulu kangangokuthi waphuka.