It is proposed to make a threat better visible for a defensive measure. In this context, the threat (2) should be imaged more intensely for the defensive measure. For the purposes of more effective imaging, provision is made for the threat to emit a stronger IR signature and thus be able to stand out sufficiently against the background for the defensive measure. The stronger IR signature is caused by heating a surface of the threat, which is realized by a laser weapons system. The defensive measure can better detect this heating and has an IR seeker head to this end.

A system includes a beam splitter, camera, and a position sensitive detector (PSD). The beam splitter splits a beam ensemble into a first beam portion and a second beam portion. The camera PSD detects an image profile of the first beam portion. The PSD detects a position of the second beam portion.

The subject disclosure relates to a tracking system to mount to an aircraft and to image and track a target aircraft. The tracking system may include a structured light source operatively coupled to a processor, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) operatively coupled with the processor, a mirror to steer light from the light source toward the target aircraft, and a stereo-vision system having a first camera and a second camera. The IMU may be configured to generate position data representing a position of the aircraft. The stereo-vision system may be operatively coupled to the processor and configured to determine a 3D position of the target aircraft as a function of the position data. The processor may be configured to adjust the mirror position as a function of a mirror position.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a weapon system for use on a vehicle, comprising: a control system, the control system configured to, in response to a determination that a line-of-sight from the weapon system to a target of the weapon system is currently, or going to be obscured, trigger an alteration of a configuration of the vehicle such that the line-of-sight to the target is not obscured. Thus, the weapon system can ensure a line-of-sight of the target, allowing it to be successfully engaged.

A laser weapon system is described. Particularly, embodiments describe subsystems of a laser weapon system including those necessary for laser generation, operational control, optical emission, and heat dissipation configured to provide a lightweight unit of reduced dimensions.

A thermal management system for a pulse load on an aircraft. The thermal management system utilizing the reserve fuel from the aircraft to create thermal capacitance such that the instantaneous capacity of the cooling system to remove heat from the aircraft may be sized less than the rate of heat generated by the pulsed load (e.g. laser, radar, rail gun etc.) The reserve fuel is maintained at a temperature in a reservoir and cooled via a cooling system. Fuel from the reservoir is selectively mixed with fuel exiting the pulsed load heat exchanger to provide fuel to the inlet of the heat exchanger at a predetermined temperature, the temperature based at least upon the heat generated by the laser, flow rate of fuel and efficiency of the heat exchanger.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a laser weapon system, comprising: one or more lasers for generating electromagnetic radiation; laser optics for directing the generated electromagnetic radiation at a target; and a control system, the control system being arranged to monitor three-dimensional position of an object other than the target, and to control a mask to at least limit generated electromagnetic radiation being directed at that object or to direct generated electromagnetic radiation towards another target or a safe location.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a laser weapon system, comprising: one or more lasers for generating electromagnetic radiation; laser optics for routing the electromagnetic radiation to laser apertures in the platform which direct the generated electromagnetic radiation at a target, the laser apertures having an associated field of regard; and a control system, the control system being arranged to control which combination of laser, laser optics and laser aperture is used to engage the target, based on a probability of successfully engaging that target in relation to the field of regard of the laser aperture of the combination.

A system is disclosed to identify authorized EO devices and unauthorized EO devices within a scene. The system responds with a variety of response actions including sending warning messages of the unauthorized EO devices, recording images and position of the unauthorized EO device. The system can further be configured to hamper the operation of the unauthorized EO devices detected within the scene.

A beam directing telescope for use in a directed energy weapons system that employs active telescope component alignment and that includes a primary mirror and a secondary mirror. The secondary mirror includes a first surface having a dichroic coating that reflects and directs a high energy laser beam to the primary mirror, reflects a portion of the reference beams and passes a portion of the reference beams that are focused by a second surface of the secondary mirror. A position sensing detector (PSD) is positioned relative to the secondary mirror such that the reference beams are focused as a spot on the PSD, where the PSD senses a position of the reference beams. An actuator changes the orientation of the secondary mirror to an alignment position if the position of the focused spots on the PSD is not the position for a desired alignment of the mirrors.