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2017-09-07

Laser Technology for High Precision Missions

Laser technology can provide a valuable and innovative contribution to today’s mission scenarios. From target designation to interference to engagement, Diehl Defence provides modern laser technology for all armed services, adding operational value and reduced life cycle costs.

The adjustment of operational systems, artillery munition and missiles to the requirements of current and future mission scenarios provides mission-optimized equipment with short development spans at low cost. Higher precision in both target engagement and protection is now possible through the following military applications:

• Laser Weapon Systems (LWS), which ensure graduated target engagement, especially tactical unmanned aerial systems and sensors.

• Semi-Active Laser (SAL) sensors, which enable precise cueing of guided missiles and ammunition through a laser target designator.

• Directed infrared countermeasures (DIRCM), which strengthen aircraft protection against guided missiles with IR seekers.

Precision Laser Weapon Systems

Laser weapon systems (LWS) provide precise, graduated target engagement in an extended range of applications for defence against low-flying, slow and small (LSS) threats, such as mini drones and optronic sensor systems.

It takes but a split second to set free the high-performance, solid-state laser weapon systems required for effective target engagement but conventional warheads need several seconds for the same task. This minimization of engagement time enables the innovation of task-specific laser beam shaping and precise target and beam tracking.

Diehl Defence has been involved in national laser weapon system programs for over 30 years. Since 2011, the company has focused on technology studies covering operational safety and effectiveness, as well as the integration of solid-state systems.

Diehl is now working with international partners towards a complete “sensor-to-shooter” cycle where the laser test range has an optical path length of 400m. A series of laser laboratories are currently conducting basic investigations into focusable laser beams in atmospheric turbulence and different climate zones.

Designator Innovation in Semi-Active Lasers (SAL)

Now Germany’s armed forces have been restructured to engage small lightly-armored targets from the air, they require innovative laser technology. The SAL seeker thus uses a special designator to guide the effector autonomously towards targets illuminated by a laser.

Updated Sidewinder Missile Capability

The German Air Force also requires a new weapon system combining low explosive power with high hit accuracy (pin-point engagement). The Laser-Guided Sidewinder (LaGS) program has therefore retrofitted the air-to-air guided missile family for attacks against small, mobile targets.

The LaGS missile offers users new possibilities of combining heavy and light weapons in air-to-surface missions involving various carrier platforms. Another benefit is that the interface, software and weapon have been unchanged, utilizing the same missile dimensions.

Hence, the semi-active laser seeker (SAL) has been integrated into numerous fighter aircraft without the need for new missile integration. With target engagement within an accuracy of one meter, existing missiles can be modified quickly and economically for air-to-surface missions.

Infrared Countermeasures for Aircraft Protection

DIRCM aircraft protection systems have been designed to increase the safety of crews by disrupting infrared seekers and causing a missile to miss its target. Manufactured by Diehl in partnership with Elbit, the DIRCM (Directed Infrared Countermeasure) for A400M combines three J-MUSICTM system units (Multi-Spectral Infrared Countermeasure) into one overall system. It can thus provide 360° protection for the new Airbus A400M military transport aircraft.

Diehl Defence has a contract with the German government for the design of a system for laser-based directed infrared-laser aircraft countermeasures in a 15-month test program. Now, more than a million man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS) are estimated to have been manufactured worldwide.

Twelve aircraft will be equipped with the existing J-MUSICTM and then refined to provide protection against future threats with a focus on quantum cascade lasers.

Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCL) for Medium and Far IR Applications

In partnership with Fraunhofer, Diehl Defence has designed quantum-cascade-laser (QCL) subsystems for employment in protection systems. QCL can be configured as a single laser or as part of a three-dimensional laser structure for performance scaling and spectral diversity. It disrupts or blinding sensors and enables stand-off detection of chemical substances.

Revolutionary Ammunition for Army and Navy

Direct and indirect fire tube weapons need stand-off precision guided ammunition for extended operational tasks. VULCANO therefore provides guided ammunition through an imaging sensor unit using an infrared spectrum with an uncooled IR detector (FarIR sensor) developed for autonomous terminal approach of sea targets.

Diehl Defence has signed off a bilateral memorandum of understanding to develop the VULCANO guided ammunition family with its Italian partner OTO Melara. This leading ammunition family will revolutionize indirect fire with caliber 155 mm for army artillery and caliber 127 mm for the navy. It is capable of engaging stationary, mobile ground and sea targets at a range of up to 100 km.

The guided VULCANO 155 mm artillery ammunition has the self-propelled howitzer 2000 (PzH2000) and other 155 mm weapon carriers as its weapon platform. The VULCANO 127 mm ammunition can be employed on surface vessels in the new OTO Melara 127/64 light weight or other 127 mm naval guns.

The VULCANO system implements a semi-active laser (SAL) sensor unit providing target observation and illumination by joint fire support teams (JFST) and meeting requirements for mission abort capability. Ammunition can be programmed with two laser codes allowing precise target engagement or mission abort through altered operating conditions.The unique mission abort option for tube artillery ammunition is an important advance in reducing accompanying damage.

Reference Text/Photos: www.diehl.com

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