INTERFEROMETRIC BOOST PHASE DISCRIMINATION SYSTEM

A BOOST PHASE DISCRIMINATION SENSOR WILL BE ENABLE TO DISCRIMINATE RVS NOT ONLY ON THE BASIS OF THEIR SELF-RADIATION SIGNATURE, BUT ALSO ON THE BASIS OF THE DEPOLYMENT SYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS. DISCRIMINATION DURING BOOST PHASE WILL ALSO PROVIDE MUCH GREATER BATTLESPACE FORTHE DEFENSE THAN ANY OTHER SYSTEM. A PASSIVE INTERFEROMETER CAN PRECISELY TRACK THE BOOSTER DEPLOYMENT STAGE AND DETECT THE DEPLOYMENT OF RVS AND PENETRATION AIDS BEFORE ANY EFFECTIVE COUNTERMEASURES CAN BE EMPLOYED. AFTER RV AND DECOY SEPARATION FROM THE STAGE, THE INTER-FEROMETER CAN ALSO PRECISELY TRACK THE TARGETS FOR HANDOVER TO THE DEFENSE SYSTEM. THE PASSIVE INTERFEROMETER REQUIRES NO ACTIVE SOURCE SUCH AS A UV LASER TO BE DIRECTED AT THE TARGET; IS EQUALLY EFFECTIVE FOR NIGHT AS WELL AS DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS; AND, CAN HAVE A WIDE FIELD OF VIEW SO THAT PRECISE POINTING OF THE SENSOR IS NOT REQUIRED. THE INTERFEROMETER CAN ALSO TRACK MULTIPLE DEPLOYMENT STAGES THAT ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY DEPLOYING THEIR PAYLOADS IF THEY ARE WITHIN THE SENSOR TOTAL FIELD OF VIEW.