Military technology
Military technology is an important part of military science, which is an important factor in constituting the combat power of the army and determining the victory or defeat of the war, and also one of the important symbols for measuring the military power of a country. The development of military technology is guided by military thinking and strategy and tactics, and also has a significant impact on military thinking, strategy, tactics and even army construction. Military needs are the driving force behind the development of military technology.
The development of military technology depends in the final analysis on the country's economic situation and the level of development of science and technology, that is, constrained by the productive forces. The latest achievements in science and technology are often prioritized for use in the military, causing changes in military technology; and the development of military technology, and to a certain extent to promote the development of science and technology.
Military technology is an important material basis for building armed forces, consolidating national defense, conducting wars and containing wars, and is an important factor in constituting the combat power of the army. It mainly includes: all kinds of weapons and equipment and their development, production of technology involved in the basic theory and basic technology; to play the effectiveness of weapons and equipment utilization of technology, as well as military engineering and military systems engineering and so on. Weapons and equipment is the main body of military technology, which is the centralized embodiment of the level of development of military technology. Modern military technology can be distinguished by the type of weaponry: light weapons, artillery, tanks, ammunition, military aircraft, ships, missiles, nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, biological weapons, three defense equipment, military radar, military optical instruments, military communications equipment, electronic countermeasures equipment, and military command automation systems, etc.; but also according to the application of different military, military field to distinguish: such as naval technology, Air Force technology, strategic missile force technology, artillery air defense technology, armored forces technology, etc.. In modern warfare, the role of the central nervous system of military communications is particularly prominent. In modern electronic technology, computer technology, space technology and other high technology based on the development of modern communication technology, modern military communication provides a more effective communication tools and more perfect means of communication. Undoubtedly, military communications technology has developed considerably in the post-war period.
Let's take a look at these representative of modern communications technology:
Carrier communications
After World War II, military wired communications technology has made a series of major advances, including the program-controlled switching technology produced in the 1960s, which is more prominent is the carrier communications and fiber optic communications technology.
Carrier communication is the use of frequency division principle, in a pair of lines at the same time to transmit multiple telephone communications. Its working principle is: in the sending end of the telephone signal of each road respectively on different carrier frequency modulation, the spectrum of each road will be arranged in their different frequency position. In the receiving end, the opposite demodulation process, located in different frequency positions of the voice road to restore the voice spectrum, to realize the carrier multiplex communication. In addition to the transmission of telephone signals, carrier communications can also be secondary multiplexing, i.e., the use of carrier voice paths to transmit telegrams, faxes, data and so on. Carrier communication effectively utilizes the wired communication line, expands the capacity of the channel and improves the transmission speed. In the case of increasing amount of military information and efficient and rapid military communication requirements, carrier communication is an excellent technical means. Carrier communication technology arose in the early 20th century, and after the invention of electron tubes and filters, technical conditions were created for the realization of carrier telephone communication. At the same time, the invention of booster and coaxial cable for the development of carrier communications and inserted the wings. 1918, in the United States, Pittsburgh to Barr's line opened the first carrier telephone communication system, each pair of lines through the 3-way telephone. By 1938, after continuous improvement, can pass 12-way telephone. In the two world wars, due to war conditions, the countries involved in the war (except the United States), the development of long-distance wire communications is very slow. At the beginning of the end of the Second World War, countries have established a huge scale of military long-distance carrier communications system, communications capacity from the initial few lines per pair, a dozen roads, the development of dozens of roads, hundreds of roads. the early 1960s, the carrier communications equipment into the semiconductor stage. the early 1950s, the monocrystalline silicon preparation technology breakthroughs in the development of the 1960s, a variety of transistor electronic components The birth of semiconductor transistors was the first step in the development of electronic components. The birth of semiconductor transistor is the second major breakthrough of electronic components, which has the incomparable advantages of electronic tubes such as small volume, light weight, vibration resistance, long service life, reliable performance, low power consumption, etc., and effectively promotes the development of electronic technology. The semiconductor carrier communication further promoted the development of military carrier technology. To the 70's, with the further development of semiconductor technology and coaxial cable materials and performance improvement, 10800 road carrier telephone system in some countries in the military has been put into use.
Fiber-optic communication
Fiber-optic communication is to laser as a carrier, to optical fiber as a medium to implement a new type of communication mode of information transmission. 1960 U.S. scientists with the ruby Mayman made the world's first laser, the laser technology is thus introduced. Its basic working principle is that, from the outside of certain substances to impose energy, so that the sharp increase in electronic energy, in the excitation of external light, in the form of photons through the optical resonance cavity of the special device, such as polymerization and amplification and launch out. Laser has good coherence, monochromaticity and directionality, can be transmitted in atmospheric space, cosmic space, optical waveguide, optical fiber and seawater, so it can be used as a signal carrier applied to communications. Since the laser beam is very thin, excellent directionality, and invisible to the human eye, communication with laser has excellent confidentiality. It is not easily intercepted and interfered by the enemy and is not affected by thermonuclear radiation. The creation of laser technology has created technical conditions for fiber optic communication. 1955, Carpenet of the University of London, England, proposed the basic theory of fiber optics in his doctoral dissertation. 1970, Tyndall performed the first transmission of light along an electrolyte tube. The proposal of the principle of optical communication and the research on optical fiber has stimulated people's interest in using optical fiber for communication. But to make it really realize also depends on the maturity of laser technology, optical fiber preparation and optoelectronic modulation technology. 1970, Glass developed into a 20db/km low attenuation fibers, which is a major breakthrough in optical fiber communications. 1971, Japan's electrostar company produced a dispersed refractive index of the fiber. 1976, in the United States, Chicago demonstrated the experimental light wave transmission system (). The use of glass optical waveguide transmission by ultra-small solid-state lasers and light-emitting diodes issued by the light pulse information). 1977, the United States and other countries, some of the telephone company set up an experimental fiber-optic system. 80's, fiber-optic communications to gradually penetrate into the land, sea, air and even space weaponry system, become an important means of modern military communications. The world's armies have to fiber instead of the original metal cable, the United States Air Force Logistics Command has established in all air bases is said to be the world's largest fiber-optic communication network of its kind - "military base fiber-optic communication system". With the development of fiber-optic communications technology, fiber-optic communications in modern military communications will be more widely used.
Scattering communication
After the Second World War, military wireless communication technology has also gained tremendous development, the emergence of scattering communication, wireless laser communication, infrared communication, mobile communication, satellite communication and other new forms of communication.
Scattering communication is the use of airborne propagation of the inhomogeneity of the coal on the reflection of electromagnetic waves for ultra-visual range communication. The troposphere, ionosphere and meteor remnants in the atmosphere have the property of re-radiating the incident electromagnetic waves in multiple directions. By utilizing these coals to transmit electromagnetic waves beyond the line-of-sight range, long-distance communication can be carried out. Tropospheric scattering communication is to use the reflection effect of the troposphere on the ultra-short wave or microwave to implement the over-the-horizon communication. Military tropospheric scattering communication has fixed and mobile. Meteor aftermath communication is the use of popular high-speed movement through the atmosphere caused by a brief ionization trace of the reflection or scattering of radio waves for long-distance instantaneous communication. Meteor aftermath communication transmission by nuclear explosions and solar flares have less impact, the direction of the wave reflection is strong, good concealment, the signal is not easy to be intercepted, suitable for long-distance small-capacity military communications. The first tropospheric scattering communication line was established in 1955 in the United States, with a total length of 2,600 kilometers. China began research in the mid-1950s and developed tropospheric scattering communication equipment in the early 1960s. In military communications, due to the scattering communication than the short-wave radio communication stability, and can be transmitted in multiple ways, compared with microwave, ultra-short-wave relay communication can be built or less intermediate relay station, and not subject to natural obstacles such as mountains, straits, seaports and other natural obstacles and enemy-occupied areas of the limitations of the blockage, so after the Second World War, many countries are vigorously carry out research and development, used for military strategic communications and tactical communications.
After the 1960s, with the development of laser technology and microelectronics technology, military wireless communications in the emergence of atmospheric laser communications and infrared communications. Atmospheric laser communication is the use of atmospheric space as a transmission medium for laser signals to achieve information transfer. When sending a letter, the transmitted signal is converted into a laser signal by the information terminal, optical modulator and laser, and then the laser signal is launched by the optical transmitter antenna and transmitted to the other party through the atmospheric space; when receiving a letter, the optical receiver antenna accepts the laser signal and sends it down to the optical detector to be converted into an electrical signal to the information terminal, and the information terminal then converts the electrical signal into the original voice or image and other information. The advantages of atmospheric laser communication are large communication capacity, no electromagnetic interference, strong confidentiality, lightweight equipment. However, the communication distance is relatively close, less reliable, and requires more sophisticated equipment, so the most auxiliary means of communication in military communications in general, used for border posts, between islands and across rivers and canyons and other close-range fixed-point communication. Infrared communication is the use of infrared light to transmit information in an optical communication mode, infrared light is a kind of electromagnetic wave that can be transmitted in the atmospheric space for straight line but cannot be perceived by the human eye. The advantages of infrared communication are: infrared rays along a straight line propagation, strong directionality, not easy to be found by the enemy, good confidentiality, not subject to the influence of the sky power and other electromagnetic waves, strong anti-jamming performance, simple equipment, low cost. The main disadvantage is affected by the terrain, weather and smoke and dust, and can only be used within the distance of direct vision, in the military mostly used for tactical communications.
Satellite communication
After World War II, the biggest achievement of military wireless communication technology is the generation and development of military satellite communication technology. 1945, Clark of the U.S. put forward the idea of communication by satellite. 1946, some people used radar to the moon to transmit microwave signals, and the result was accurately received from the moon surface reflection of the echo from the theoretical demonstration of the feasibility of using satellites to carry out radio communication. In 1957, the first artificial Earth satellite of the Soviet Union was successfully launched, which paved the way for the creation and development of satellite communication technology. 1958, the United States launched the world's first experimental active communication satellite. 1960, Pierce and others in the United States realized for the first time the use of artificial Earth satellites as a radio reflector Echo-I, which is a passive communication satellite, by reflecting electric waves. passive communications satellite that relies on reflected waves to accomplish communications. Since the energy of the incident wave could not be replenished, but instead consumed in the satellite's journey to the earth, the signals received on the ground were very weak, and only through amplification could effective communication be achieved. After two years of effort, communication between North America and Europe using Echo-I was successful by 1962, when the United States launched the first active communications satellite, Telstar, which was equipped with receivers and transmitters to receive and send signals. Transatlantic television and telephone transmissions were made possible by the Telstar communications satellite.
Satellite communications technology was used for military purposes immediately after its inception; in the early 1960s, the U.S. military commissioned Woodridge to develop and operate the Defense Communications Satellite (DCS), which became the system that provided lines of communication to all branches of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and provided direct support for global military communications and command. 1971 to the end of 1989, the U.S. launched additional satellites, including Telstar. From 1971 to the end of 1989, the United States launched 16 more advanced Defense Communications Satellite III. At the same time, the U.S. also developed communications satellites for use by the military services, and from 1978 to the late 1980s, the U.S. launched eight fleet communications satellites developed by TRW. The system was managed by the U.S. Navy and used by about 800 ships, 100 submarines, and hundreds of Air Force aircraft and some ground terminals.In 1976, the U.S. began to deploy the Air Force Communications Satellite System, which went into service in 1979 and became fully operational in 1981, connecting ground and onboard terminals including AWACS, reconnaissance aircraft, strategic bombers, and ICBM command posts.In the 1990s, the U.S. also developed and launched communications satellites for use by the various military services. After the 1990s, the United States also developed and launched a new generation of military communications satellites strategic tactical and relay satellites (MILSTAR) with a strong anti-nuclear reinforcement of anti-jamming capability, which can ensure and smooth communication under war conditions. In addition to the United States, other countries and international military organizations also vigorously develop military satellite communications technology. NATO launched three "Nato" communications satellites in the early 1970s; France in 1984 and 1985, respectively, the "Telecom-1A", "Telecom-2B" launched into geosynchronous orbit; the United Kingdom in 1962, the "Telecom-2B" launched into geosynchronous orbit. France launched Telecom-1A and Telecom-2B into geosynchronous orbit in 1984 and 1985 respectively; the United Kingdom launched Skynet-1, Skynet-2 and Skynet-4 military communication satellites in 1969, 1970, 1974 and 1988 respectively; and the Soviet Union launched Nato communication satellites in 1974 and 1988 respectively. "The Soviet Army launched 74 Molniya-1, military communications satellites in 1965 and nearly 50 improved Molniya-2 and Molniya-3 satellites after the 1970s. After the 1970s, nearly 50 improved Molniya-2 and Molniya-3 satellites were launched; China also developed military satellite communications after launching the Dongfanghong Earth satellite in the 1960s. The use of artificial Earth satellites for military communications has the advantages of long communication distance, large transmission capacity, high reliability, flexibility and cheap cost, etc., and has become the ideal form of contemporary military communications.
After the Second World War, in the military radio communication technology, but also the development of automatic transfer of mobile communication technology. Mobile communications that is, communication between the two sides or a party in motion, to mobile radio through the fixed communication station to transfer the communication links. The main equipment used for mobile communications is a variety of portable, vehicle-mounted, ship-mounted ultra-short-wave radios and short-wave radios. Through the ground radio equipment and wired telephone exchange center connection, cell phones can also communicate with the near or long-distance wired telephone. The desire for a portable, "free" means of communication has long existed, and the 1930s saw the emergence of the small, lightweight tube walkie-talkie, which operated as a simplex radiotelephone. Although the walkie-talkie technology later developed, but because of the small transmitter power, the transmission distance is close, and the use of simplex, send flowers at the same time can not listen to the conversation, the use of not convenient enough. 60's, with the development of microelectronics and programmable switching technology, small radios can transmit a larger power signal, fixed communication stations can be connected through the programmable switch to any user within the coverage area. Thus, mobile communication technology has developed rapidly. Mobile communication is flexible, convenient and rapid, easy for the army in the maneuver in time to implement the combat command, so that the army, navy and air force units in complex situations can closely cooperate with the coordinated operation, to ensure that the modern conditions of combat has an important role.
Technological development
Military field radio as military communications in the unique communications equipment after the Second World War has been the rapid development of the Second World War. 1950s, the military field radio of the single-sideband technology has been widely used and development. The so-called single-sideband communication is to send and receive AM signals in two sidebands of a sideband signal radio communication. Single-sideband radio in the transmission of voice signals, voice signals and frequency synthesizer generated by a high degree of stability of the low carrier frequency signal, loaded to the transmitter of the high-frequency signals, by the role of the modulator, resulting in the upper and lower two carrier frequencies, and then by the filter to a side band filtered out, only the other side of the band of signals loaded to a higher operating frequency, and to amplify the signal, to the antenna to be sent out. Receiver will receive the antenna RF single sideband signal to move back to a lower frequency, and amplified, sent to a single sideband demodulator, in the demodulator to join the low carrier frequency signals, the original voice signal to restore out. Single-sideband technology was invented in 1915, and transatlantic communication tests were conducted in 1923, and it was adopted for most ocean-going communications after 1933.In 1954, single-sideband radios were rapidly developed in military radio communication systems, replacing ordinary AM radios.In the 1950s, single-sideband tactical radios were commonly used in most countries, especially in developed countries, and the single-sideband radios used by the U.S. military were both tabletop and desktop. The U.S. Army uses single-sideband radios both desktop and vehicle-mounted, which can pass 16-way newspaper, 2-way voice, 1-way fax, with a power of 10 kilowatts.
After the 1960s, with the emergence and development of semiconductor technology, military field radio by transistors instead of tubes, and in the 1970s after a large number of integrated circuits and large-scale integrated circuits. Military field radio to the transistor miniaturization development, further reducing the volume, reduce weight, improve the communication capacity and reliability. The U.S. Army in the 50's battalion equipped with the radio is a tube type AN/PRC-1 type, in the early 60's equipped with a transistor in addition to the end of the AN/PRC-25 type radio, the end of the 60's equipped with all transistors AN/PRC-77 type radio, 70's equipped with micro-module component type AN/PRC-99 type radio. After updating, the number of channels of the radio continues to increase, the channel spacing is further shortened, the communication distance has been extended, the weight is reduced, and the degree of integration is improved. The U.S. Army in the early 80's developed into the degree of integration of the product has reached 20% to 40%, to the late 80's to reach more than 90% of the transmitting power in the 20 kilowatts, weighing 4 kilograms or so, the reliability of the radio than the same kind to improve 10 times.
In the use of transistors, integrated circuits, large-scale integrated circuits at the same time, 60 ~ 70 years of the military field radio to achieve a multi-band, multi-purpose, multi-purpose, in order to facilitate the various branches of the military to cooperate in combat, to reduce the type of machine, to achieve the multi-purpose machine. 80 s, the development of national armies in the field of radio, the emergence of two major trends. One is the transition from analog system to analog-digital compatibility and all-digital, using digital computing and digital processing technology. The introduction of digital technology into communications equipment is a new trend in military communications technology in the 80s. Good performance of digital circuits gradually replaced the traditional analog circuits, a large number of digital devices (digital mixers, digital frequency synthesizers, digital filters, digital oscillators, etc.) used in military communications equipment. Some developed countries have gradually adopted microprocessors in field radio. It is composed of a piece or a number of pieces of large-scale integrated circuits, including technical logic components, instruction processing components and control storage or operation of the controller, with computing and control functions. On the basis of the development of digital processing technology and microcomputer technology, the secrecy technology of field radio has also been developed, especially the use of signal compression technology and digital encryption technology, so that the probability of wireless communication signals being intercepted and deciphered is greatly reduced. Signal compression technology is used to send out the signal is extremely short, so that it is difficult to intercept, even if the interception is also difficult to decipher. And digital confidentiality technology can make the key number is very big, so that it is difficult to be deciphered. Second, the use of frequency hopping technology and other anti-jamming technology. Frequency-hopping technology is to send and receive double-issue radio frequency, according to a predetermined order in a certain frequency range for synchronized rapid change. Early radio operators to use a schedule to use the operating frequency, and frequency hopping series is the use of a code sequence to determine what frequency should be used at a particular time, the operating frequency per second can be jumped tens of times, hundreds of times or more, jumping frequency range can be as wide as tens of megahertz. Using this way of transmitting signals, not easy to be interfered with by the enemy, it is in the military communications in the anti-jamming of the main measures. Germany in 1981 developed the CHX200 motorized and fixed high-frequency frequency hopping radio system, developed in 1983 SEM172 VHF frequency hopping radio; the United States in 1982 developed a backpack AN/PRC-117 type of intermediate frequency frequency hopping radio; Sweden in 1985 developed a very high-frequency frequency hopping radio; the United Kingdom in the 1980s developed a 150 series of high-frequency frequency hopping radio for the This country and Belgium and many other countries, such as military equipment. Most of these frequency-hopping radio by the microcomputer control, can automatically search for channels, automatic frequency conversion, anti-jamming and confidentiality is very good.