THE EMERGING SOVIET BMD AND ASAT SYSTEMS OF THE 1990'S AND THE GREAT DISCRIMINATION POTENTIAL OF RADAR AND OPTICAL SENSORS USED IN CONCERT REQUIRE THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRACTICAL OPTICAL COUNTERMEASURE PENAIDS.

THE EMERGING SOVIET BMD AND ASAT SYSTEMS OF THE 1990'S AND THE GREAT DISCRIMINATION POTENTIAL OF RADAR AND OPTICAL SENSORS USED IN CONCERT REQUIRE THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRACTICAL OPTICAL COUNTERMEASURE PENAIDS. THESE DEVICES MUST OPERATE IN A HOSTILE EXOATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT IN THE PRESENCE OF NUCLEAR BURSTS. LIMITS ON US THROWWEIGHT DICTATE SMALL DEVICES CAPABLE OF OPERATING AFTER LONG PERIODS OF DORMANCY. DEVELOPMENTS IN OPTICS TECHNOLOGY MAKE LONG RANGE LWIR SURVEILLANCE SENSORS PRACTICAL NOW. IMAGING SENSORS ARE A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY IN THE 1990S. PENAIDS SELECTED FOR US VEHICLES MUST BE DESIGNED TO THIS THREAT. THREE SPECIFIC PENAIDS THAT HOLD PROMISE OF MEETING THESE CRITERIA ARE SET FORTH IN THIS PROPOSAL.