China is making significant progress in developing laser engines for hypersonic submarines

China – Chinese scientists announced that the essence of the technology underlying the underwater laser engine lies in creating a large cavity around the hull of the submarine.

Chinese scientists have made great progress in realizing a submarine laser engine project, as they developed optical fibers used in materials covering the submarine’s hull. The South China Morning Post reported that such technology could theoretically accelerate underwater submarines to supersonic speeds.

The essence of this method lies in creating the phenomenon of super-cavitation around the submarine’s hull, that is, converting water into steam around the submarine’s special fiber lining to greatly reduce water resistance.

Ji Yang, assistant professor at the College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering at Harbin Engineering University, said: “This principle can also be applied in the field of underwater weapons, as the super-cavitation phenomenon greatly increases the range of projectiles, missiles and torpedoes launched underwater.”

As the newspaper explained, in the future, it is planned to cover the submarine’s hull with optical fibers less than the thickness of a human hair. Laser beams will be used to evaporate the water around the submarine. This will reduce water resistance when the submarine moves underwater. Scientists say this development could allow submarines to exceed the speed of sound without making noise due to vibrations, making them undetectable by sonar (water radar). At the current stage, the research team will have to solve the problem of heat dissipation generated by optical fibers, increase the use life of devices and equipment, as well as combine the operation of laser beams and anti-resonance coating.

It is noteworthy that super-cavitation technology was used in the Soviet Union to develop the “Shkval” underwater missile, which reaches a speed of about 200 nautical knots. Its design uses a rocket engine as well as a water evaporation device in its nose.

Source: TASS