Beam director for high-energy laser (HEL) weapon

Abstract

A beam director system for a high-energy laser (HEL) weapon includes correction sensors that are able detect misalignments in optical elements throughout the entire optical path traversed by the high-energy laser. The system includes beam correction sensors that sense misalignments in a first part of the optical path, and high-speed track sensors that sense misalignments in a second part of the optical path, with the first part and the second part overlapping. This allows all optics to be sensed by the beam correction sensors and / or the high-speed track sensors. The system can accommodate a wide variety of lasers for the HEL, preferably including a co-boresighted and aligned alignment laser. By having the track sensors further downstream on the optical path than in prior devices, the acquisition and track sensor fields of view of the system may be improved.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The invention is in the field of high-energy laser weapons.DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART[0002]Directed energy weapons pose special problems with regard to beam direction, for example having poor performance for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) systems, limited fields of view (FOVs) for tracking sensors, and / or poor boresight performance. Non-monostatic designs generally do not have good boresight maintenance due to parallax and consistently have issues with holding a beam on-target for sufficient periods to match lethality modeling. In addition systems may require complicated optical measurement to provide high speed safety for high-energy laser (HEL) optics. There may also be problems in holding an energy weapon on target for a sufficient time to disable or destroy a target.[0003]Accordingly there is room for improvement in the field of directed-energy weapons such as those involving high-energy lasers.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION[0004]A...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

Enhances beam stability and tracking accuracy, allowing for effective target engagement and improved performance in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions by continuously monitoring and correcting optical misalignments along the entire optical path.

Problems solved by technology

Directed energy weapons pose special problems with regard to beam direction, for example having poor performance for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) systems, limited fields of view (FOVs) for tracking sensors, and / or poor boresight performance.

Non-monostatic designs generally do not have good boresight maintenance due to parallax and consistently have issues with holding a beam on-target for sufficient periods to match lethality modeling.

In addition systems may require complicated optical measurement to provide high speed safety for high-energy laser (HEL) optics.

There may also be problems in holding an energy weapon on target for a sufficient time to disable or destroy a target.

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