Chinese scientists want to use lasers and optical fibers to create a plasma around the submarine so that it floats in a bubble with minimal resistance from the surrounding environment.
Photo: AI
Submarines using supercavitation could reach speeds of up to 900 km/h. (illustrative photo)
Imagine a submarine so fast that it can escape a torpedo that is supposed to destroy it. This can become a reality thanks to a revolutionary drive that Chinese scientists are working on. This new technology could create the fastest submarines in the world, moving at speeds approaching jet aircraft. The key is the use of laser drives and the cavitation effect.
Laser Propulsion: From Space to Ocean
The use of lasers as a form of propulsion is not entirely new. The concept was first proposed in the 1970s as a way to transport spaceships. The principle was simple – the laser would extremely heat the air below the spacecraft, creating a plasma that would explode and propel the ship upwards. Although this technology has only been tested on a small scale, no manned ship has ever been created that works on this principle.
However, Chinese scientists from Harbin University propose to use this method of propulsion underwater. The basis is to cover the hull of the submarine with optical fibers that are thinner than a human hair. These filaments transmit laser pulses driven by a powerful energy source, resulting in the formation of plasma that instantly vaporizes the surrounding water. The bubbles created then create a “tunnel” with lower friction, allowing the submarine to reach high speeds.
Supercavitation: Breakthrough propulsion with challenges
The essence of this revolutionary system is the phenomenon of supercavitation. This is a physical phenomenon where a large bubble of steam or gas forms around a moving object in water and surrounds the entire object. This will significantly reduce the friction between the surface of the object and the water, allowing very high speeds to be achieved. Supercavitation is achieved at speeds where the water pressure drops below the water vapor pressure, causing cavitation bubbles to form. If these bubbles merge into one large bubble that surrounds the object, this is supercavitation.
This phenomenon is used, for example, in the development of torpedoes, where the reduction of water resistance makes it possible to reach extreme speeds. Thanks to this technology, even a submarine could reach them – theoretically, it could move at a speed of over 900 km/h, which is comparable to the speed of jet aircraft.
A Chinese team of scientists, led by Ge Yang, found out how to increase the efficiency of the laser drive by several orders of magnitude, thus ensuring the real applicability of this technology. Their design includes added special fiber optic modifications that minimize friction and optimize plasma generation, allowing for a significantly stronger pulse. At the same time, they are more resistant to mechanical stress and salt water.
Military potential and risks
If this new type of propulsion proves practical, it could dramatically change the conditions of naval warfare. A submarine capable of moving at such speeds would be virtually unhittable by conventional anti-submarine systems. In addition, this drive is almost completely silent, which gives the submarine a tactical advantage.
But this does not mean that such a submarine would be invisible, although many talk about it as the next evolution of stealth technology. Cavitation creates trails of bubbles behind the submarine that (due to their sputtering) can be picked up by passive sonar – a technology that identifies sounds in water without , to broadcast them herself.
Another problem lies in thermal regulation. Powerful lasers generate an enormous amount of heat that must be dissipated to prevent damage to the submarine. In addition, the high salinity of the ocean complicates the reliability of optical fibers and other components of the submarine.
The future of military submarines
However, China is not the only country exploring new ways of propulsion. Since the 1960s, the United States has been researching an alternative propulsion system – magnetohydrodynamic propulsion (MHD). The technology uses magnetic fields and electrically conductive fluids to create thrust, which could offer several advantages over traditional propeller systems. MHD technology has the potential to increase the stealth, maneuverability and payload of submarines by eliminating detectable noise from mechanical components.
In 2023, the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced that it had begun a 42-month program to develop submarine MHD pumps. The goal is to overcome problems with strong magnetic fields and improve their efficiency. Although the MHD drive has been successful on a small scale, its practical application to larger submarines remains a challenge, mainly due to electrode corrosion and wear problems in contact with seawater.
Source: vat.pravda.sk
