Ordnance – Waging war
Patent
1996-10-26
1998-11-17
Carone, Michael J.
Ordnance
Waging war
42106, B64D 104, F41C 2700
Patent
active
058379185
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to a weapons system for a dazzling laser with directed laser radiation of a suitable wavelength, intensity and duration with a laser operating in the visible range, which is integrated in a rifle-like carrier with an aiming device, range finder, and a portable power supply.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A monomode laser for the treatment of the eyes, in which a diaphragm provided with two separate openings is arranged in the resonator such that the openings are located in front of one of the front surfaces of the laser bar, has become known from the document DE 36 03 334 A1. The monomode pulses emitted by this laser have a divergence of less than 2 mrad and an energy of 15 mJ, as well as a pulse length of about 10 nanosec. This device is to be used in ophthalmology. However, a use as a dazzling laser is not possible.
The military laser systems introduced to date, e.g., laser range finders, target markers and missile guide beam projectors, are unsuitable for use as eye-dazzling lasers, because their laser energy is designed, set permanently, for their respective military task, and they cannot be adapted to the requirements and application situations of an eye-dazzling laser. As a consequence, their use does not usually lead to a sufficiently intense, but still reversible dazzling of the eyes, but either to permanent damage to the eyes or to an insufficient effect on vision.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a weapons system/device for a dazzling laser with directed laser radiation of a suitable wavelength, intensity and duration with a laser operating in the visible range, which is integrated in a rifle-like carrier with an aiming device, range finder, and a portable power supply, with which loss of vision for at least several seconds to minutes is reliably achieved in the irradiated subject without permanent damage to the retina occurring. The device shall not be able to be neutralized by simple countermeasures.
According to the invention, a weapons system/device is provided for a dazzling laser with directed laser radiation with a laser operating in the visible range. This is integrated in a rifle-like carrier with an aiming device, range finder, and a portable power supply unit. The laser is adjustable in terms of beam divergence, energy to be emitted, and irradiation time. A control computer is provided for entering target reconnaissance parameters, as well as measuring instruments for determining these parameters with respect to a target subject and the environment. The controls/instrumentation are associated with the laser, wherein the control computer calculates the laser parameters (beam divergence, single pulse or pulse train, pulse energy and pulse count of the pulsed laser) necessary for the reversible dazzling of the eye on the basis of the target reconnaissance parameters entered, and it automatically presets and regulates the resulting laser power and the exposure time of the continuous laser.
A flashlamp-pumped Nd:YAG solid-state pulsed laser is preferably provided, operating in the visible range, which has a wavelength of 0.53 .mu.m, a pulse length of 10 nanosec, a pulse energy of <.about.50 mJ in the single pulse or <.about.0.5 mJ in the pulse train at 1 kHz and a laser beam diameter of about 20 cm at the target distance, as the laser.
A continuously emitting diode laser array may be used as the laser.
The laser can preferably be tuned to at least one other wavelength different from the usual laser wavelengths. At least one other laser wavelength can preferably be generated by selecting the laser material, by downstream Raman cells or OPOs (optical parametric oscillators) and/or other prior-art means.
The target reconnaissance parameters entered into the control computer with respect to the target subject are preferably his (the targets) distance and optionally the light-transmitting capacity of a telescope or sunglasses used by the target subject, and the target rec
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Carone Michael J.
Daimler-Benz Aerospace AG
Wesson Theresa M.
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