Digital Computer Modeling of Directed Energy Weapons (DEWS)

THIS PROPOSAL PRESENTS A PROGRAM TO DEVELOP A DESIGNFOR A LASER RANGE-GATED UNDERWATER IMAGING SYSTEM INCORPORATING ASTATE-OF-THE ART LASER ILLUMINATOR AND AN OPTICAL DIGICON RECEIVER. THISTYPE OF SYSTEM WILL EXHIBIT SUPERIOR RANGE AND RESOLUTION CAPABILITYRELATIVE TO ANY OTHER PRACTICAL UNDERWATER IMAGING APPROACH AND WILLOFFER OPERATIONAL FEATURES WHICH LEND THE SYSTEM EXTREMELY WELL TO THESMALL OBJECT LOCATING AND IDENTIFICATION APPLICATION. ALTHOUGH THERANGE-GATING CONCEPT IS NOT NEW, THE AVAILABILITY OF AN OPTIMAL RECEIVERHAS BEEN LACKING. THE COUPLING OF A NEW TYPE OF PHOTOTUBE, THE EFFICIENTAND LOW NOISE DIGICON, WITH AN ADVANCED SOLID STATE LASER WILL BRINGREVOLUTIONARY TECHNOLOGY TO BEAR ON BOTH THE ILLUMINATOR AND RECEIVER OFTHE IMAGING SYSTEM AND RESULT IN UNPRECEDENTED PERFORMANCE. THE RANGEGATE APPROACH EFFECTIVELY ELIMINATES BACKSCATTER WHICH IS THE MAJORSOURCE OF NOISE FOR ACTIVE THROUGHWATER IMAGING. IT IS ALSO INSENSITIVETO RELATIVE MOTION AND THUS PLACES LITTLE REQUIREMENT ON PLATFORMSTABILITY. IT IS ALSO AMENABLE TO COMPACT PACKAGING FOR EASE OFDEPLOYMENT. ANTICIPATED BENEFITS: THE PROGRAM EFFORT IS RELEVANT TO MOST AGENCIESWHO OPERATE IN A MARITIME ENVIRONMENT. IT WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO MANYGROUPS WITHIN THE NAVY IN USES RANGING FROM DETECTION, CLASSIFICATION,AND IDENTIFICATION OF MINES AND ASSISTING IN EXPLOSIVE ORDINANCE DISPOSALTO AIDING THE FULL RANGE OF UNDERWATER VEHICLES, AS WELL AS DIVERS, TONAVIGATE, AVOID OBSTACLES, AND DETECT AND IDENTIFY THREATS AND TARGETS.APPLICATIONS ALSO INCLUDE INSPECTION AND AID IN CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIROF COMMERCIAL OFFSHORE EQUIPMENT.