Unique soviet "Laser Tank" (6 photos) Bashny.Net

In the late 70's - early 80-ies of XX century, the entire world "democratic" community is dreaming of a Hollywood euphoria of "Star Wars." At the same time, for the "Iron Curtain" under the cover of secrecy Soviet "evil empire" sly-polegonku translate Hollywood dreams into reality. Soviet cosmonauts flown in space, armed with laser pistoletami- "blasters", designed battle stations and space fighters, and the Mother-Earth crawled Soviet "laser tanks».



SLK 1Q11 "Stiletto" drawing from the journal "ATM» №5 2010. Czech



The objective was to provide a laser system to counter optoelectronic system monitoring and management of battlefield weapons in harsh climatic and operational conditions imposed on vehicles.



Complex "Stiletto" was adopted, but for various reasons are not commercially produced. Two prototypes have remained in one piece. However, their appearance even in a terrible, all-out Soviet secrecy has not gone unnoticed by US intelligence. In a series of drawings of the latest models of equipment of the Soviet Army, submitted to Congress for "knocking out" of additional funds to the Ministry of Defense was very recognizable "Stiletto».

Formally, this complex is in service to this day. However, the fate of the pilot machines for a long time nothing was known. Upon completion of the tests, they were virtually nobody wants.



So imagine the West the Soviet laser system. Drawing from the magazine «Soviet Military Power»

As the development of the ideas of "Stiletto" was designed and built the new SLK 1K17 "Compression." It was a complex of new generation with automatic search and guidance on the subject of radiation glare multichannel laser (solid state laser on aluminum oxide Al2O3) in which a small portion of the aluminum atoms is substituted with trivalent chromium ions, or simply - a ruby ​​crystal.

To create inverse population using optical pumping, ie, lighting crystal ruby ​​powerful flash of light. Rubin shaped cylindrical rod ends are carefully polished, silver, and serve as a mirror for the laser. To illuminate the ruby ​​rod used pulsed xenon flash lamp discharge through which the battery charge high voltage capacitors. The flash has the shape of a spiral tube, wrap around the ruby ​​rod.

Under the influence of a powerful light pulse in a ruby ​​rod creates the inverse population and due to the presence of mirrors excited lasing duration is slightly less than the length of the flash lamp pumped up. Especially for the "compression" artificial crystal was grown weight of about 30 kg - "laser gun" in this sense flies "a lot of money." New installation required and a large amount of energy. For its power to use the powerful generators, operated by an autonomous auxiliary power unit (APU).



Front, instead of the barrel was placed an optical unit 15 comprising lenses.

In the field of lasers while we were ahead the whole world, at least for 10 years.



The collapse of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Communist Party overthrew the former authorities. Super secret "laser gun" remained unclaimed.