A Compact Solid State Infrared Flare

In this Phase II SBIR proposal Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) describes the development a solid-state emitter package to replace the propellant-based candle of the M278 infrared flare. Propellant combustion in the current candle technology is unsteady, resulting in variations in the illumination intensity and also produces a visible signature that limits it usefulness in covert activities. The proposed flare technology uses laser diodes to generate infrared light that matches the illumination intensity of the propellant-based M-278 flare. During Phase I PSI developed a preliminary prototype design for the solid-state flare that meets the required performance specifications. During Phase II the four primary subsystems of the flare: the illumination source, the optical system, the electrical power source and the thermal management subsystem will be optimized. The resulting subsystems will then be integrated into an experimental prototype. After completing functionality testing of the initial prototype, several alpha prototypes will be fabricated and subjected to environmental (vibration, shock, etc.) and field testing. The end result of the Phase II program will be a validated flare design (TRL 5-6) ready for beta prototype development and testing with the Hydra-70 rocket during a Phase III program.