Laser Beamrider Optical Countermeasures

Laser Beamrider weapons are extremely difficult to countermeasure since the missile data acquisition sensors face away from the attacked target, making it impossible to disrupt from the target angle. Weapon guidance and discrimination is the guidinghuman, usually with gain optics. To effectively countermeasure the weapon system, the human must be fooled, momentarily distracted, or momentarily blinded. If a momentary blinding approach is taken, care must be taken not to blind the pilot or a wingmanof an adjacent friendly aircraft, thus the blinding energy must be directional. The countermeasure must also be difficult to countercountermeasure. SPEC's countermeasure approach allows a short duration, directed beam of broadband light to be fired atthe weapon-guiding human. The beam is directed to the coordinates obtained from the Laser Warning Receiver. The minimum radiation intensity directed at the observer is approximately the same as a camera photoflash at 1-2' range. Even in ambientdaylight, this creates a disrupted vision for 3-5 seconds. The broadband character of the light makes bandpass filters ineffective as a CCM tactic. The key breakthrough features of the device are ultra capacitor storage device, short arc high-pressureXenon lamp, and flush mount, millisecond response time, directional beam pointer. Beyond the benefits of a successful countermeasure unit for laser beam rider weapons, the technology proposed can also be implemented where ultra high energy, quick discharge power storage units are needed, and where ultra high flash light outputs areneeded. For crowd control and other police work, a hand held unit could temporarily blind, daze and confuse the targeted individuals. It could also be used as a reusable stun grenade or flash unit to neutralize/disrupt the targeting ability of asniper/assassin, provision of cover for personnel movement during barricaded suspect situations, distraction of defender during drug warrant service, and disruption of criminal activity during robberies, are but a few possible instances of civilian lawenforcement use. The energy storage device could pave the way for high-energy lasers, N-ray tubes or superconductor magnet charging. For example, 10Kjoules in a fast discharge, packaged in a less than 3-pound unit, opens uses deemed impractical in thepast.