Closed Loop Optically Adaptive Countermeasure (CLOAC) System

MZA proposes an active, closed loop, IRCM which will integrate the features of the threat detection, tracking, interrogation, jamming, and effectiveness verification. The Closed Loop Optically Adaptive Countermeasure (CLOAC) system includes all features of current active IRCM with the addition of a capability to include spatial phase modulation to aid in discrimination and jamming effectiveness. We believe that spatial phase modulation coupled with pulse modulation, the robustness of the jamming waveform is dramatically improved. The addition of spatial phase modulation may also improve the robustness of jamming. Initial analysis shows the effect of spatial phase modulation on the reticle modulation is consistent for different types of reticles. This fact is important due to the endless cycle of missile, countermeasure, counter-countermeasures in that the added degree of freedom in jamming signal will expedite the creation of new jamming signals as the missile seekers evolve. There is also the opportunity of using spatial phase modulation to defeat imaging seekers by using beam shaping. By applying a pre-computed 2-d phase modulation scheme, the profile of the laser light on the focal plane array can be varied and potentially cause the seeker to break lock.