Countering laser guided weapons

Abstract

A system for counteracting optical and laser guided weapons and drones, comprises a laser source for placement at a concealed location and at least one mirror for deflecting a laser from said laser source towards an adversary.

Description

[0001] COUNTERING LASER GUIDED WEAPONS

[0002] RELATED APPLICATION / S

[0003] This application claims the benefit of priority of IL Application No. 310784 filed on February 11, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0004] FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to a method, apparatus and system for countering optical and laser guided weapons.

[0006] Many weapons systems today use lasers for guidance. The laser may help with aiming, ranging, or pointing out the target for a weapon’s guidance system. Many other systems uses optics for finding and aiming at targets.

[0007] Countermeasures against such systems include smoke screens, laser-based dazzle systems, laser detection systems and anti-laser active protection systems. A disadvantage of all of the above systems is what may be termed the line of sight problem. The systems need to be in the line of sight of the attacker’s laser and thus numerous expensive devices must be distributed along a line to be defended. The devices themselves are vulnerable to attack if spotted and, being in the line of sight, are disproportionately likely to be spotted, especially when being actively used.

[0008] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present embodiments are intended to overcome or mitigate the line of sight problem.

[0010] A laser source is used to dazzle the optical or laser system of the adversary. However the laser system is placed in a secure location - behind a wall, in a bunker, or the like, and one or more mirrors are used to scan the laser beam towards the adversary and the relevant equipment.

[0011] The mirrors may be motorized and may be operated electronically to scan the beam to cause dazzle.

[0012] The mirrors are relatively easily replaceable if hit, whereas the considerably more expensive laser source is well protected and hidden out of sight.

[0013] Mirrors allow rapid redirection of a laser beam and thus may also be useful as a countermeasure against swarms of drones.

[0014] According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a system for counteracting optical and laser guided weapons comprising a laser source for placement at a concealed location and at least one mirror for deflecting a laser from the laser source towards an adversary.

[0015] In embodiments, the mirror is an actuated mirror comprising a motor for actuation.

[0016] The system may include a controller for operating the motor to scan the laser towards the adversary.

[0017] The system may include several of the actuated mirrors, and the controller may use different mirrors to scan the laser towards different locations of the adversary.

[0018] One or more of the actuated mirrors is mounted on a gimbal for multi-axis motion.

[0019] One or more of the mirrors may be mounted for high speed scanning wherein each scan does not exceed a tenth of a second. For example scan speeds as used in building images on screens may provide effective dazzle.

[0020] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and / or scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of embodiments of the invention, exemplary methods and / or materials are described below. In case of conflict, the patent specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and are not intended to be necessarily limiting.

[0021] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0022] Some embodiments of the invention are herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of embodiments of the invention. In this regard, the description taken with the drawings makes apparent to those skilled in the art how embodiments of the invention may be practiced.

[0023] In the drawings:

[0024] Fig. 1 is a simplified diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the present invention in which a hidden laser source produces a beam which is sent towards a mirror and directed towards adversaries;

[0025] Fig. 2 is a simplified diagram showing a mirror on an actuated mount according to embodiments of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a simplified diagram showing multiple mirrors being used together according to embodiments of the present invention;

[0026] Fig. 4 is a simplified diagram showing a mirror mounted on a gimbal in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

[0027] Fig. 5 is a simplified diagram showing the use of a primary mirror to deflect light to different mirrors of an array in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

[0028] Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of the present invention with multiple laser sources;

[0029] FIG. 7 shows an embodiment in which a laser source pivots to the opposite direction and illuminates a mirror placed on the other side; and

[0030] Fig. 8 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention in which a laser beam is reflected from a series of mirrors before reaching the adversary;

[0031] Fig. 9 is a simplified diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention in which an incoming beam is counteracted by reflecting it directly back to its source;

[0032] Fig. 10 is a simplified diagram showing a variation of the embodiment of Fig. 9 in which a plain mirror is replaced by a parabolic mirror;

[0033] Fig. 11 is a simplified diagram showing a laser source in a housing and illustrating the limited angular availability for detecting and destroying the laser;

[0034] Fig. 12 is a simplified diagram illustrating deployment of detectors for detecting use by an adversary of laser-based systems; and

[0035] Fig. 13 illustrates how the laser source may be hidden behind landscape features such as hills or mountains.

[0036] DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0037] The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to a method, apparatus and system for countering optical and laser guided weapons.

[0038] Laser guided weapons such as beam rider systems, require their own laser sources, herein adversary’s laser source.

[0039] It is possible to identify the laser emitting element and to initiate countermeasures such as a laser system designed to dazzle or bum the laser source of the enemy. A problem arises however in that the angle at which the countermeasure beam reaches the adversary is very limited if the countermeasure is to be effective. This may be because the laser source is housed in a protective housing that covers the source from most angles, as will be discussed in greater detail below. Thus numerous countermeasure systems need to be deployed to provide comprehensive protection, and the number of systems needed may thus be prohibitively expensive to deploy and service and vulnerable to attack.

[0040] The present embodiments may address the above problem by setting up a single laser source and a sequence of actuated mirrors, any one of which can be activated as needed whenever an active adversary’ s laser source is detected. The present embodiments may detect a newly activated adversary’s laser source and direct the most suitable mirror to deflect the laser beam

[0041] The present embodiments further overcome the line of sight problem by keeping the laser source hidden away out of sight, and preferably protected behind defences. The laser light is deflected by one or more mirrors towards a target that is being engaged and thus the laser source is able to dazzle and disable laser and optical systems without being exposed in the enemy’s line of sight.

[0042] Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components and / or methods set forth in the following description and / or illustrated in the drawings and / or the Examples. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

[0043] Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 is a simplified diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the present invention in which a hidden laser source 10 produces a beam 12 which is sent towards a mirror 14 and deflected towards adversaries advl ...adv 10 who are located in hostile region 16. The laser source is hidden behind barrier 18, which may represent being in a bunker, being behind a wall, or a hill or a mountain etc. The system may counteract optical sighting and guidance systems, including laser guidance and sighting systems including laser guided weapons. The laser source remains concealed and thus systems that look for the source of the laser beam will at mot be able to find the mirror, but will not be able to locate the actual source.

[0044] The laser source may be a multi-beam laser source with different wavelengths. Some wavelengths are more energetic than others and thus a suitable wavelength may be chosen for the task in hand, a less energetic wavelength to merely disrupt the source and a more energetic wavelength to burn or do more damage to the source.

[0045] The mirror may be directed to the laser source in a number of ways. In one embodiment the location of the adversary may be entered manually and the direction calculated. In another embodiment, the mirror may be directed to face an incoming beam using a feedback system that maximizes the energy of the beam, as will be discussed in greater detail below. In other embodiments, radar or like systems may input the location of the adversary. The mirror of course works in two directions, so that the mirror may be used to detect the threat. An array of mirrors may thus be used both to detect and disrupt a threat. In an embodiment a first array of detection mirrors are kept in position for detection purposes. When a threat is detected, a second array, hidden away in the meantime, emerges and operates countermeasures. In another embodiment a single mirror, or single set of mirrors may be used for both purposes.

[0046] Referring now to Fig. 2, mirror 14 is mounted on arm 20 which is actuated by motor 22. Thus there is provided an actuated mirror with a motor for actuation. The motor allows the mirror to be automatically scanned towards known locations of the adversary. A controller, typically included with the laser source 10 may control the motor to scan the laser towards the adversary. The mirrors may also be folded away or concealed, and thus only exposed when needed.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 3, multiple mirrors 14, 30, 32, 34, may be used, each receiving the beam in turn and scanning it towards different locations of the adversary. The location of the laser source and each mirror may be known in advance, or obtained using coordinates, for example using GPS and accordingly, the locations of identified adversary positions may be illuminated.

[0048] Individual mirrors may oscillate between multiple targets to disrupt them all at the same time.

[0049] Referring now to Fig. 4, some or all of the actuated mirrors 14 may be mounted on gimbals 40 for multi-axis motion. The local terrain often is not level and the adversary may also be airborne.

[0050] Referring now to Fig. 5, laser beam 52 may be scanned between the mirrors using a primary mirror 50 at the laser source, and the mirrors themselves may scan the beam. The speed of the scan may be of the order of magnitude of scans used in television screens, say around a thirtieth of a second, depending on the country and the exact system in use.

[0051] The primary mirror may be mounted for high speed scanning so that each scan does not exceed a thirtieth of a second and each mirror in an array of mirrors receives the laser beam for some part of that thirtieth of a second. Thus each target is dazzled thirty times over a second. Other intervals such as a tenth of a second may be used.

[0052] Both the primary and secondary mirrors may scan, so that the primary mirror scans between the secondary mirrors and the secondary mirrors scan between different targets.

[0053] Reference is now made to Fig. 6 which illustrates multiple laser sources 10, 60 and 62, which each may provide a laser to a different mirror respectively. The sources may be angled to provide beams to different mirrors in the array of mirrors, and the mirrors themselves may scan the beams towards different locations of the enemy. Reference is now made to Fig.7, which shows an embodiment in which a laser source 70 pivots to the opposite direction and illuminates a mirror 72 placed on the other side with beam 74. The laser source 72 may be in addition to first laser source 10, or a single laser source may be used and pivoted in either direction. In the present embodiments, the laser sources may accordingly be able to pivot around to face the opposite direction.

[0054] Reference is now made to Fig. 8, which is a simplified diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present invention in which multiple mirrors are used, for example to cause greater difficulty to the adversary in attempting to determine where the laser source is. A beam is reflected from a sequence of multiple mirrors before reaching an adversary. Laser source 10 at a concealed location produces laser beam 12 as before, towards suitably angled mirror 14. The beam is reflected from mirror 14 to mirror 72 as beam 12.1, and from there is reflected as beam 12.2 towards the adversary. The case of two mirrors is given for simplicity. In addition the embodiment may include the primary mirror as in Fig. 4 and any number of secondary mirrors.

[0055] Reference is now made to Fig. 9, which illustrates an additional countermeasure to weapons based laser beams. Mirror 90 is placed on a motorized gimbal mount 92 and a laser beam arrives at the mirror. A control system within the mirror then rotates the mirror in multiple axes to maximize the roundness of the laser spot received. The detection may be carried out by pixels mounted on the mirror or situated separately from the mirror and energy detected is used to direct the mirror. In addition or alternatively, the control system maximizes an energy function associated with the arriving beam.

[0056] At the point that maximization is complete, the beam is reflected back to its source. The beam is exactly the wavelength that the adversary transmits and thus the adversary cannot be protected by filtering.

[0057] There are devices known in the art that are able to detect the direction of the approaching beam and the present embodiments direct the mirror to the detected direction. The same technology may be used to direct the mirrors of the previous embodiments herein to illuminate the light sources of the adversary.

[0058] Reference is now made to Fig. 10, which is a simplified diagram showing a variation of the embodiment of Fig. 9 in which a plain mirror is replaced by a parabolic mirror 100, likewise mounted on a gimbal 102. The process of directing the mirror towards the source is the same as in Fig. 9 but the beam reflected may be more powerful. Detection may be based on putting detector pixels on the mirror itself and feeding the signals into a feedback system that controls the mounting of the mirror to increase the energy or roundness.

[0059] Thus a laser guided missile may be detected as approaching. The mirror 90 or 100 may engage the laser beam and reflect it back to the source. The return beam blinds the optics of the laser guidance system and makes it difficult to keep the beam on target.

[0060] The device may be mounted on a vehicle and may move.

[0061] Reference is now made to Fig. 11, which illustrates a laser source for use either in the present embodiments or for optical and laser guided weapons systems. A laser source 110 is located in a housing 112 which is elongated, so that the laser source is hidden from countermeasures except for a very small angle.

[0062] Reference is now made to Fig. 12, which is a variation of Fig. 1 in which a hidden laser source 10 produces a beam 12 which is sent towards a mirror 14 and deflected towards adversaries advl ...adv 10 who are located in hostile region 16. The laser source is hidden behind barrier 18, which may represent being in a bunker, being behind a wall, etc. The system may counteract optical sighting and guidance systems, including laser guidance and sighting systems including laser guided weapons. The laser source remains concealed and thus systems that look for the source of the laser beam will at mot be able to find the mirror, but will not be able to locate the actual source.

[0063] The laser source may be a multi-beam laser source with different wavelengths. Some wavelengths are more energetic than others and thus a suitable wavelength may be chosen for the task in hand, a less energetic wavelength to merely disrupt the source and a more energetic wavelength to burn or do more damage to the source.

[0064] The mirror may be directed to the laser source in a number of ways. In one embodiment the location of the adversary may be entered manually and the direction calculated. In another embodiment, the mirror may be directed to face an incoming beam using a feedback system that maximizes the energy of the beam, as will be discussed in greater detail below. In other embodiments, radar or like systems may input the location of the adversary.

[0065] In Fig. 1 scanning by the mirror was also used to detect threats. In the present embodiment distributed electrooptical or optical detectors 120.1... 12O.n are placed in the environment to be protected and detect laser beams. As shown in Fig. 11, the angular interval over which a laser source can be detected is relatively small so that numerous detectors may be needed to provide comprehensive detection. It is to be noted that a number of laser sources may use one or more mirrors to attack a single target. Alternatively, a single mirror may oscillate between two angles to attack a single target using two or more laser sources. In embodiments, the laser sources themselves may be pivoted and may oscillate between two or more mirrors to attack multiple targets.

[0066] Alternatively, multiple mirrors may each be used to attack the same target using different sources.

[0067] In an embodiment, a single mirror may oscillate between multiple targets by shifting the laser between one target and another.

[0068] In embodiments, a sensing device detects the laser sources of the adversary and when it senses that the first target has been neutralized, it may then direct the mirror to engage the next target and so on, so that the system moves efficiently between targets.

[0069] Embodiments may be used to bring down drones. In particular, drones may be detected using radar or optical means and then mirrors direct the laser beams against the drones. The mirrors can be repositioned very quickly once a target is destroyed so that the system may be effective against swarms of drones, the sources with the mirrors against drones.

[0070] Reference is now made to Fig. 13, which is a simplified diagram showing laser source 10 being located at the base of a mountain 130. The mirror 14 is located on the mountain and laser source 10 shines the beam onto the mirror on the mountain to take out adversaries, who may be land based or airbone.

[0071] In this disclosure, the terms "comprises", "comprising", "includes", "including", “having” and their conjugates mean "including but not limited to".

[0072] The term “consisting of’ means “including and limited to”.

[0073] The term "consisting essentially of" means that the composition, method or structure may include additional ingredients, steps and / or parts, but only if the additional ingredients, steps and / or parts do not materially alter the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed composition, method or structure.

[0074] As used herein, the singular form "a", "an" and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0075] It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment and the present description is to be construed as if such embodiments are explicitly set forth herein. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination or may be suitable as a modification for any other described embodiment of the invention and the present description is to be construed as if such separate embodiments, subcombinations and modified embodiments are explicitly set forth herein. Certain features described in the context of various embodiments are not to be considered essential features of those embodiments, unless the embodiment is inoperative without those elements.

[0076] Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims. All publications, patents and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference into the specification, to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated herein by reference. In addition, citation or identification of any reference in this application shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the present invention. To the extent that section headings are used, they should not be construed as necessarily limiting. In addition, any priority document(s) of this application is / are hereby incorporated herein by reference in its / their entirety.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A system for counteracting optical and laser guided weapons comprising a laser source for placement at a concealed location and at least one mirror for deflecting a laser from said laser source towards an adversary.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said mirror is an actuated mirror comprising a motor for actuation.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a controller for operating said motor to scan said laser towards said adversary.

4. The system of claim 3, comprising a plurality of said actuated mirror, and said controller being configured to use respective ones of said actuated mirror to scan said laser towards different locations of said adversary.

5. The system of any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein at least one of said actuated mirrors is mounted on a gimbal for multi-axis motion.

6. The system of any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein at least one of said mirrors is mounted for high speed scanning wherein each scan does not exceed a tenth of a second.

7. The system of any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of laser sources.

8. The system of claim 7, comprising a plurality of mirrors, each laser source being angled towards a different mirror.

9. The system of claim 7, comprising a plurality of mirrors, and wherein a plurality of said laser sources are angled towards same ones of said mirrors.

10. The system of any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of mirrors and configured to oscillate a given one of said plurality of mirrors to direct a beam to alternate between a plurality of targets of said adversary.

11. The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein a single mirror is configured to oscillate between a first position directing a beam from a first laser source to a first target and a second position directing a second beam from a second laser source against said first target.

12. A method for counteracting optical and laser guided weapons comprising placing a laser source at a concealed location and directing at least one mirror for deflecting a beam from said laser source towards an adversary.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising actuating said at least one mirror using an actuator.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising operating said actuator to scan said laser towards said adversary.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein there is provided a plurality of said actuated mirror, the method comprising using respective ones of said actuated mirror to scan a beam from said laser source towards different locations of said adversary.

16. The method of any one of claims 12 to 15 comprising applying multi-axis motion to said at least one mirror.

17. The method of any one of claims 12 to 16, comprising carrying out high speed scanning using said at least one mirror, wherein each scan does not exceed a tenth of a second.

18. The method of any one of claims 12-17, using a plurality of laser sources.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein there are provided a plurality of mirrors, the method comprising angling each laser source towards a different mirror.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein there are provided a plurality of mirrors, the method comprising angling a plurality of said laser sources towards same ones of said mirrors.

21. The method of any of claims 12 to 20, comprising oscillating said at least one mirror to direct a beam to alternate between a plurality of targets of said adversary.

22. The method of any one of claims 12 - 21, wherein a single mirror oscillates between a first position directing a beam from a first laser source against a first target and a second position directing a second beam from a second laser source against said first target.

23. A system for counteracting drones comprising a laser source for placement at a concealed location and at least one mirror for deflecting a laser from said laser source towards said drones.

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