The U.S. Agency DARPA signed with Lockheed Martin a contract for the development of compact laser defense systems for airplanes. This laser turret promises to be much more effective than any automatic gun - she has unlimited ammunition, high accuracy of fire, the possibility of intercepting missiles and low collateral damage.

How to protect aircraft operating over enemy territory, from the attacks of enemy planes? The question faced by designers of aviation equipment almost simultaneously with the arrival of planes-bombers. After all, if such aircraft was "the fear and terror" for the earth, in the air to protect large and relatively low-speed aircraft was not easy.

But the need is always the best teacher and a stimulus for creativity. Appeared first open, and then completely closed machine-gun and the gun ring mount, reminiscent of glass-enclosed on all sides turrets-the hemisphere that have begun to set and behind the keel, and the tail of a fuselage - up and down, as well as on the nose. Some guns were set up to four infantry units, so the attacking planes of the enemy met a real shower lead.

Over time, the guns were replaced with guns, so firepower bomber has increased even more. Saved cannon fodder turrets and modern Russian military transport planes, so back to them not to come. Especially since the mouse is not only visually, but also on the radar. However, such a goal as running from afar incoming missiles they have no teeth, so the problem sewn today has become even more acute than in the years of the Second world war.

But if there is a sword, then sooner or later will appear and shield, capable to reflect the impact. So it is not excluded that in the near future hanging on the tail of an enemy aircraft will be for fighter pilot in deadly lesson. The reason is that the defence research Agency DARPA signed with Lockheed Martin a contract to 9.5 million dollars for development of compact laser defense systems for airplanes.

The new project is quite long - Aero-Adaptive/Aero-Optic Beam Control (ABC), however, the goal of development is very simple: get a high-energy lasers for the protection of tactical aviation against enemy aircraft and missiles, attack them from the rear hemisphere, and replace them cannon fodder installation on bombers and military transport aircraft. The fact that such a defensive system based on the laser emitter is going to be much more effective than any automatic guns.

First, it ' unlimited" ammunition, high accuracy of fire, the possibility of intercepting missiles, low collateral damage. Secondly, such a laser can be equipped not only heavy airplanes, but even light - fighters and attack aircraft. Initial test turrets do you plan to spend on the plane business class.

Defensive laser will be equipped with adaptive optics, i.e. optical system that can help control the shape of lenses and mirrors to maintain maximum efficiency of the laser beam directed at the target, despite any weather conditions. In the present project it is planned to develop the prototype of such a sentry gun, optic systems, to conduct its wind tunnel testing and, finally, to finish the thing you install and test the prototype defensive laser aboard.

Laser turret for protecting the aircraft against attack from the rear hemisphere will significantly improve the survivability of military aviation. Ground-based lasers have proven effective in intercepting missiles and UAVs, there is no doubt in their ability to blind optical sensors enemy missiles, not to mention the organs of vision pilots of manned aviation. This high-energy laser new defensive turrets will be able not only to blind the pilot or an infrared homing head, and damage to the lining of enemy fighters or missiles.

The fact that the radio waves fairings warheads of missiles cannot be made from metal; otherwise, the radio will cease to pass through them. But being made of plastic, they become very vulnerable to high-energy light radiation, and that is what circumstance and intend to use constructors.