A system and a method for measuring, correcting, and implementing real-time adjustments for aero-optical effects for vehicle-based optical systems used in high speed or turbulent scenarios are provided. The system and method may include obtaining, via an imaging system, a wavefront measurement of air flow in a high speed or turbulent environment. The imaging system may include a wavefront sensor and optical components within a module and configured for manipulating a laser beam, and an optical window for transmitting the laser beam in-and-out through the optical window (e.g., in a beam director or turret). The imaging system may comprise, outside the module, a reflector or mirror positioned along an optical axis and configured to receive and reflect the laser beam from the optical window. The method may include determining wavefront distortions of the laser beam based on the wavefront measurement and determining optical degradation based on the wavefront distortions.

A method for reconstructing the wavefront of a light beam by analyzing wavefront-gradient data of said light beam, the light beam containing at least one optical vortex, considering the contribution of the optical vortices to the wavefront. The method including providing a phase-gradient map g of the wavefront of the light beam, generating a Laplacian of a vector potential based on the phase gradient map g, the resulting Laplacian of the vector potential map, called Laplacian map, exhibiting peaks, the location of each peak corresponding to the location of an optical vortex and the integral of the peak being proportional to a topological charge n of said optical vortex, computing a singular phase map .sub.s based on the topological charge n and location of each optical vortex, the singular phase .sub.s map being representative of the contribution of the optical vortex.

An amplified laser device is provided with one or more Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) Micro-Mirror Arrays (MMAs) having tip, tilt and piston capability positioned on either side of the optical amplifier to correct the profile of the beam to improve the gain performance of the optical amplifier or to compensate for atmospheric distortion while steering the amplified beam over a FOR. The MEMS MMAs may be positioned in front of, behind or on both sides of the amplifier. The MEMS MMAs can be configured to optimize the combined amplifier performance, static and time varying, and compensation for atmospheric distortion together or separately.