In the near future, the power of the Russian icebreaker fleet will be replenished with lasers, developed by the holding shvabe. According to the head of holding Alexey Patrikeev, nothing like that in any country of the world.
The composition of the ice-breaking laser system includes a fiber laser connected to the fiber optic cable, power system and equipment targeting and focusing of the beam. “Smart” control system is to find weaknesses in the ice – the so-called line tension, and then focusing on them with laser beam.
From the characteristics of the equipment it is known that its capacity will be 200 kW. This will be enough to crack the ice thickness of 1 meter.
The new development will find application primarily in the courts of the Russian Arctic military grouping. Trial to begin later this year in the Arkhangelsk region.
Source — Schwabe