SCANNING LASER AIRCRAFT SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM FOR CARRIER FLIGHT OPERATIONS

THE SCANNING LASER AIRCRAFT SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM (SLASS) USES TWO SCANNING LASER BEAMS TO ILLUMINATE APPROACH CORRIDORS AND RETROREFLECTORS LOCATED ON AIRCRAFT LANDING GEARS TO DETERMINE VERY PRECISELY THE AZIMUTHAL, ASCENSION, YAW, ROLL, AND PITCH ANGLES OF CARRIER APPROACHING AIRCRAFT. THE RANGE, APPROACH VELOCITY, AND AIRCRAFT TYPE ARE ALSO DETERMINED. THE POSITION OF THE AIRCRAFT IS DETERMINED BY THE TIME FOR THE SCANNING BEAM TO TRAVEL BETWEEN RETROREFLECTORS; OPTICAL RESOLUTION OF THE AIRCRAFT IS NOT REQUIRED. SINCE THE LASER BEAMS ARE INFRARED, LOW POWER, AND HIGHLY DIRECTIONAL,THEY HAVE A VERY LOW PROBABILITY OF SPURIOUS INTERCEPT. THE FEASIBILITY OF THE SLASS, TOGETHER WITH COMPLEMENTARY SENSORS, TO PERFORM AIRCRAFT SURVEILLANCE, AIRCRAFT TRACKING, AIRCRAFT CONFIGURATION, AND AUTOMATIC AIRCRAFT TYPE IDENTIFICATION WILL BE EVALUATED WITH A SYSTEMS APPROACH. THIS EFFORT ALSO INCLUDES TRADE-OFF STUDIES AND QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF CANDIDATE SLASS CONFIGURATIONS AND OPTIONS. THE GOAL OF THIS EFFORT IS TO PROVIDE IMPROVED INFORMATION ON THE APPROACHING AIRCRAFT TO THE LSO AND CATCC TO REDUCE LANDING MISHAPS AND MISSED LANDINGS.