UNIVERSE OF MILITARY OPTICS

Red Star. September 9, 2005. By Anatoly Dokuchaev

The book "Optoelectronic Systems and Laser Equipment" has been published as Volume 11 of the unique Encyclopedia "Russia's Arms and Technologies. The XXI Century Encyclopedia". Note: it is the first time when a book, covering modern techniques in military optics that is the most important component of armament systems and military equipment, has been published in Russia. The project has been realized by competent experts of the Russian military industry, scientists, historians and journalists of the Publishing House "Arms and Technologies". The Encyclopedia is published under general supervision of Sergei Ivanov, the Defense Minister of the Russian Federation.

Weapons with high precision and selectivity of hitting enemy must meet higher requirements during local conflicts and counter-terrorist operations. Such weapons have to be supplied in proper time with reliable, correct and diverse information, which can be immediately processed in field conditions. Design of such weapons implies combined use of optoelectronic devices and systems in all kinds of combats and in all battle spheres: on ground, in air, on water, under water, and in space.

Therefore, the complete list of military optoelectronic devices includes many thousand models. And this fact caused the publication of a special volume covering various types and classes of optical devices and systems.

With evolution of "classical" optical observation and sighting devices the end of the XX Century was marked by a revolution in optics and military optoelectronic devices. The revolution was caused by creation of infrared instruments, including imaging devices, and numerous laser optoelectronic systems for various applications.

Laser range-finders have gained almost monopoly position in systems for firing control. Efficiency of classical weapons was significantly increased due high accuracy, full automation, instantaneous measurements of target ranges and angular coordinates, fast information input into fire control systems, and integration with these systems. Laser systems for target illumination and sighting used in high-precision weapons ensure the high probability of target hitting and the significant decrease of ammunition consumption. Finally, achievements in laser technologies allow creating absolutely new classes of weapons: optoelectronic countermeasure systems and systems destroying enemy's objects by means of irradiation.

Optical technologies in combination with achievements in photoelectronics and integrated microelectronics provided the means to create intellectual weapon systems available for all kinds of military equipment, as well as for individuals.

The book presents a wide range of optical and optoelectronic devices for reconnaissance and observation; backsights and sighting systems for firearms; optoelectronic systems for weapon control and pointing; lasers and laser optics for weapon systems and space monitoring; trajectory measuring facilities; and other systems for information acquisition and processing. It is appropriate to note here the new method used by editors. The reader can learn not only parameters of a certain system, but also read about the company manufactured it. This increases the usability of the volume published. For example, the night vision devices TKN-3, TKN-3M and TKN-3MK for tanks and armored vehicles, well-known to specialists, are being manufactured by the industrial association "Novosibirsk Instrumentation Plant", while the modified night vision devices TNP, providing better parameters of a standard gun-sight and increasing combat capabilities of tanks and troop carriers, are being manufactured by the company "Peleng" (Byelorussian Republic).

Following their tradition, authors of the book created a clear classification of optoelectronic devices and laser equipment being manufactured by military industry of CIS countries. And this classification is not the only authors' merit - they described practically all models. For example, the subsection "Optoelectronic facilities for reconnaissance and countermeasures" contains basic parameters of the shipborne station "Spectr-F" detecting laser radiation; the multi-spectral reconnaissance device "Mars" capable to detect moving and still, open and hidden ground targets; the autonomous system, being a part of the protection "Shtora", serving as an indicator of laser radiation; the airborne laser interference station; and other systems.

Optical and optoelectronic sights and sighting systems are presented on a large scale, and it is useless to describe here particular models. But the subsections should me mentioned: sights for armored vehicles and their armament; sighting and navigation systems for aviation; sighting systems for missiles, artillery, mortars and grenade launchers; backsights for hunting and sport shooting (it is the first time when they were systematically described); and collimator backsights for firearms.

Those watching for news in civil and military space applications would be interested to know about capabilities of the lidar for space monitoring; the optoelectronic system "Okno" for detecting objects in space (NPO "Astrofizika"); the mobile station detecting and following the target (S.A. Zverev Krasnogorsk Plant); the Optical and Laser Center for Space Observations in Altai (Scientific-Research Institute for Precise Instrumentation); and other equipment. The book covers the full range of optoelectronic systems for space monitoring and optoelectronic facilities of observation spacecraft.

It is interesting to read about photographic and cinematographic equipment, optoelectronic and laser measurement systems.

Along with models of military optical and optoelectronic equipment the book contains information about design and manufacture of optical materials in Russia, as well as about evolution of optical glass fabrication.

A separate section presents optical methods used for sea water research and applications of information and optical technologies in hydro-optics. It is the first time when this subject was covered in Russia with such comprehension and detail. For example, the Scientific-Research Institute of Physical Optics, Laser Optics and Optical Information Systems presented hydro-optical equipment for underwater illumination.

No doubt, the book is also valuable because it contains information about enterprises and organizations of optical and laser industry; scientific-research centers (proving grounds) for design and testing optoelectronic and laser systems; institutes educating specialists.

As usual, authors made a peculiar contribution to the science. "Scientific and information materials of the volume were prepared by specialists from enterprises and organizations of the military industry and from corresponding institutions of the Defence Ministry, - noted Nikolai Spassky, the General Director and the Editor-in-Chief of the Publishing House "Arms and Technologies". - And the volume is not only an informational booklet, but also is a scientific-theoretical book. We showed the present state of optoelectronic systems and laser equipment, as well as their future".

The volume is also vivid because it presents the most distinguished leaders, scientists and constructors who were in charge of scientific, technical, industrial and organizational activities in their companies and in a cooperation with designers and manufacturers or arms and military equipment.

In conclusion I want to stress: prospects of the scientific and technical progress confirm that the XXI Century will need products of the optical industry, which was shown at full extent and with expression in one volume on 720 pages.