Don E Robinson

US Patent:

53962435, Mar 7, 1995

Filed:

Dec 23, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/999698

Inventors:

Anthony Jalink - Newport News VA
James A. Hubert - Hampton VA
Don M. Robinson - Newport News VA

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air
Force - Washington DC

International Classification:

G01S 1300

US Classification:

342 54

Abstract:

An Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system uses CO. sub. 2 laser identification beacons on ground vehicles such as tanks, in conjunction with an existing (or future) Forward Looking InfraRed (FLIR) detection system on an attacking aircraft or ground vehicle, to provide a cost effective solution to the problem of identifying friendly targets on a battlefield. The CO. sub. 2 Laser can produce radiation only in the FLIR's spectral band, aiding stealth and improving signal to noise ratio. An acousto-optical modulator in conjunction with a specially shaped optical reflector steers the beam in the desired direction toward the FLIR in the attacking aircraft, aiding stealth and detection signal to noise ratio. The optical element also shapes the beam into the desired angular extent, needed for reception by the attacking aircraft. The beacons are triggered by a secure radio transmission signal from an approaching attack vehicle that initiates two or more pulses from the ground-vehicle-mounted beacons, timed according to an adjustable, predetermined code.