EP0849612A2 - Eléments disruptifs des radiations électromagnétiques - Google Patents

Eléments disruptifs des radiations électromagnétiques Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0849612A2
EP0849612A2 EP97310092A EP97310092A EP0849612A2 EP 0849612 A2 EP0849612 A2 EP 0849612A2 EP 97310092 A EP97310092 A EP 97310092A EP 97310092 A EP97310092 A EP 97310092A EP 0849612 A2 EP0849612 A2 EP 0849612A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
electromagnetic energy
laser
countermeasure
accordance
elements
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP97310092A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0849612A3 (fr
Inventor
Richard C.N. British Aerosp. Def. Ltd. Woolnough
Michael British Aerosp. Def. Ltd. Pywell
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
BAE Systems PLC
Original Assignee
British Aerospace PLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by British Aerospace PLC filed Critical British Aerospace PLC
Publication of EP0849612A2 publication Critical patent/EP0849612A2/fr
Publication of EP0849612A3 publication Critical patent/EP0849612A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q19/00—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic
    • H01Q19/06—Combinations of primary active antenna elements and units with secondary devices, e.g. with quasi-optical devices, for giving the antenna a desired directional characteristic using refracting or diffracting devices, e.g. lens
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41—WEAPONS
    • F41H—ARMOUR; ARMOURED TURRETS; ARMOURED OR ARMED VEHICLES; MEANS OF ATTACK OR DEFENCE, e.g. CAMOUFLAGE, IN GENERAL
    • F41H11/00—Defence installations; Defence devices
    • F41H11/02—Anti-aircraft or anti-guided missile or anti-torpedo defence installations or systems
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q15/00—Devices for reflection, refraction, diffraction or polarisation of waves radiated from an antenna, e.g. quasi-optical devices
    • H01Q15/14—Reflecting surfaces; Equivalent structures
    • H01Q15/145—Reflecting surfaces; Equivalent structures comprising a plurality of reflecting particles, e.g. radar chaff

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the field of disruption of electromagnetic energy incident upon an object and more particularly, but not exclusively to decoys used to protect aircraft, ships and land vehicles against the potential threat posed by weapons and weapon systems.
  • weapon systems utilise the abilities of seeking apparatus to identify, follow and ultimately detonate in the vicinity of a target.
  • Such weapons systems utilise a range of methods by which targets may be identified, including both the thermal signature of the vehicle and/or the use of radar to locate and track the target.
  • More recently weapon systems have begun to incorporate the use of electromagnetic energy systems, usually in the form of lasers, which enable such systems to provide high quality targeting information to give highly accurate missile and/or gun fire in ground to air, air-to-air and air-to-ground scenarios.
  • lasers as a target proximity detonation system for determining the detonation time and/or distance of the weapon from the target.
  • a more recent addition to the field of military weapon systems has been that of the new classes of high powered lasers (Laser Directed Energy Weapons) These can be used to dazzle and/or damage crew and/or electro-optic sensors on board both military and civilian vehicles.
  • the use of such high powered lasers poses a threat from both hostile military forces and that of terrorists whereby such weapon system could easily be utilised to threaten the safety of civilian aircraft.
  • the invention has particular advantages in the field of decoys used for vehicle protection against weapon systems which additionally utilise lasers to enable high quality targeting information.
  • the invention provides apparatus and a method to provide a passive countermeasure to laser threats, including such threats from both directed energy laser weapons and lower power targeting/ proximity detonation lasers.
  • apparatus for the disruption of electromagnetic energy comprising a plurality of element means, each said element means having at least part of one surface adapted to reflect incident electromagnetic energy.
  • method of disrupting electromagnetic energy incident upon an object comprising means for ejecting a plurality of elements into the path of said electromagnetic energy, each element having at least part of one surface adapted to reflect said incident electromagnetic energy.
  • a substantially flat type countermeasure element 2 comprising a plastic portion 4 and a metalised coating 6, forming an extruded "L" shape.
  • the metalised coating 6 could be applied via a spluttering process or as metal foil suitably glued to the plastic, giving the flat type element 2 a dual reflective surface on one face.
  • the lip 5 assists in the separation of the flat elements once ejected into the air stream.
  • the element has a thin film, anti-static, non-stick outer coating to both faces to ensure that the individual elements do not stick to each other when jettisoned from the aircraft.
  • Figure 2 shows a circular lens type element 8 having a plastic face 10, the reverse face 12 having both a similar metalised coating 14 and thin film coating to that of the flat type element 2.
  • a spherical countermeasure element 16 is shown, being comprised of a plastic material 18 comprising a hemispherical metalised coating 20, the materials therefore being identical to those described in the metalised coatings of the flat type countermeasure 2 and the flat lens type countermeasure 8.
  • the spherical element may be solid or, for lower mass (which is important for aircraft applications), can be hollow. Hollow elements have the added advantage of increased countermeasure effectiveness time, due to the lower altitude loss rate when compared with the solid spherical elements.
  • the method by which the three types of countermeasure elements, namely flat 2, substantially flat lens 8 and spherical 16 achieve their purpose as laser countermeasures lies in their potential to reflect incident laser beam energy due to the nature of the mirror finished metalised coatings 6, 14, 20 and in some cases additionally act on the incident energy so as to modify its power and/or direction.
  • the flat type elements 2 are utilised for their ability to reflect incident laser beam energy, whereas botle lens type 8 and the spherical elements 16 utilise the optical functions of their shape to both reflect and/or disperse laser energy.
  • the lens type elements 8 act as an effective countermeasure to laser energy by reducing the power density of an incident laser beam, the lens being optically divergent thereby reducing the power level of any laser beam which passes through it and is still incident on the vehicle which is being targeted or tracked. This reduction in power density weakens the ability of any laser targeting or ranging equipment to assess the true distance of the vehicle from the laser seeking head thereby acting as an effective laser countermeasure.
  • the spherical countermeasure elements 16 are coated with a hemispherical metalised coating 20 which gives the said elements the ability to totally internally reflect any incident laser energy.
  • a plurality of similar types of countermeasure elements namely 2, 8, 16 would be housed in a suitable container attached to or positioned in proximity to the vehicle which is to be protected from laser directed energy and/or targeting systems utilising these reflective type countermeasure elements.
  • a suitable laser warning system identifies that the vehicle is being illuminated and/or targeted by incident laser energy
  • the countermeasure element container would be so designed to eject the contained plurality of countermeasure elements thereby causing the required interruption and/or dispersion of the laser beam thus protecting the vehicle.
  • a maximum potential reflective area of the countermeasure elements in the incident laser beam is required. This is achieved by maximising both the number and area of the individual countermeasure elements in the containers. Each element will be dispersed so as to utilise the maximum area available within the cross section of the container in which it is fitted. In the case of the flat type element 2 the number per container is limited only by the container volume. For the lens type countermeasure element 8, a trade off between lens thickness and number per container volume has to be made. This is threat scenario dependent because the level of internal reflection which can be achieved within the flat type lens 8 is dependent on the wavelength(s) of the incident laser(s), the dielectric constant of the plastic and the lens thickness. In the extreme, the container volume could be filled with spheres, which could be much smaller than the diameter of cross-section of the container, and thus each of which would provide a total internal reflection of laser energy at a given wavelength.
  • the very low mass countermeasure elements When ejected at appropriate angles from the host vehicle the very low mass countermeasure elements form a floating mirror to reflectand/or divert the laser energy from the vehicle being protected. This effect is sustained for an appropriate time until the elements float down to earth.
  • the invention also offers the opportunity to enable premature detonation of weapons which utilise laser proximity fuses, the possibility of break lock of laser targeting and ranging systems along with offering some measure of protection to the vehicle crew and electro-optic sensors from laser directed energy weapon threats.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Remote Sensing (AREA)
  • Radar, Positioning & Navigation (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Optical Radar Systems And Details Thereof (AREA)
  • Details Of Measuring And Other Instruments (AREA)
  • Optical Elements Other Than Lenses (AREA)
  • Surface Treatment Of Optical Elements (AREA)
  • Radar Systems Or Details Thereof (AREA)
  • Analysing Materials By The Use Of Radiation (AREA)
EP97310092A 1996-12-16 1997-12-15 Eléments disruptifs des radiations électromagnétiques Withdrawn EP0849612A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9626117 1996-12-16
GB9626117A GB2320316A (en) 1996-12-16 1996-12-16 Laser countermeasure

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0849612A2 true EP0849612A2 (fr) 1998-06-24
EP0849612A3 EP0849612A3 (fr) 1999-07-21

Family

ID=10804532

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP97310092A Withdrawn EP0849612A3 (fr) 1996-12-16 1997-12-15 Eléments disruptifs des radiations électromagnétiques

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0849612A3 (fr)
JP (1) JPH10307195A (fr)
GB (1) GB2320316A (fr)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2898415B1 (fr) * 2006-03-09 2009-01-16 Thales Sa Procede d'identification par profilometrie laser
US7623059B2 (en) 2006-10-05 2009-11-24 Northrop Grumman Corporation Disruptive media dispersal system for aircraft
US10295658B2 (en) 2014-10-02 2019-05-21 The Johns Hopkins University Optical detection system
RU2698513C2 (ru) * 2017-09-12 2019-08-28 Федеральное государственное казенное военное образовательное учреждение высшего образования "Военный учебно-научный центр Военно-воздушных сил "Военно-воздушная академия имени профессора Н.Е. Жуковского и Ю.А. Гагарина" (г. Воронеж) Министерства обороны Российской Федерации Способ снижения эффективной площади рассеивания оптико-электронного прибора

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4233882A (en) * 1977-11-14 1980-11-18 Precitronic Gesellschaft Fur Feinmechanik Und Electronic Mbh Azimuthably layable or aimable launching device, more particularly for canisters containing camouflaging means or agents
DE3337941A1 (de) * 1983-10-19 1985-05-09 Bayer Ag, 5090 Leverkusen Passive radarreflektoren
US5212488A (en) * 1992-01-21 1993-05-18 Konotchick John A Ellipsoidal chaff
US5495787A (en) * 1994-06-17 1996-03-05 Boyer, Iii; Lynn L. Anti-missile missiles having means to "blind", and thus render ineffective, precision, seeker guided munitions
US5571621A (en) * 1989-12-11 1996-11-05 Advanced Technology Materials, Inc. Infrared radiation-interactive article, and method of generating a transient infrared radiation response

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3992628A (en) * 1972-07-17 1976-11-16 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Countermeasure system for laser radiation
GB2036935B (en) * 1978-09-13 1982-12-15 Marconi Co Ltd Defence systems
US5151819A (en) * 1988-12-12 1992-09-29 General Atomics Barrier for scattering electromagnetic radiation

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4233882A (en) * 1977-11-14 1980-11-18 Precitronic Gesellschaft Fur Feinmechanik Und Electronic Mbh Azimuthably layable or aimable launching device, more particularly for canisters containing camouflaging means or agents
DE3337941A1 (de) * 1983-10-19 1985-05-09 Bayer Ag, 5090 Leverkusen Passive radarreflektoren
US5571621A (en) * 1989-12-11 1996-11-05 Advanced Technology Materials, Inc. Infrared radiation-interactive article, and method of generating a transient infrared radiation response
US5212488A (en) * 1992-01-21 1993-05-18 Konotchick John A Ellipsoidal chaff
US5495787A (en) * 1994-06-17 1996-03-05 Boyer, Iii; Lynn L. Anti-missile missiles having means to "blind", and thus render ineffective, precision, seeker guided munitions

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9626117D0 (en) 1997-02-05
GB2320316A (en) 1998-06-17
EP0849612A3 (fr) 1999-07-21
JPH10307195A (ja) 1998-11-17

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