Navy Laser Radar Overview

The U.S. Navy is pursuing the use of CO2 laser radar technology for a variety of applications. Rather than attempt to describe the specifics of these applications and rapidly get into classification problems, three major areas which support the uses of the technology will be described. Critical areas include componentry, signatures, and airborne imaging sensors. Under the componentry area a manufacturing technology program for CO2 waveguide lasers will be described. For the signatures part of this discussion a Navy built and operated van installation (Navy Active Target Signatures (NATS) System) will be described. Finally some results from a flight test conducted on a UH-IN helicopter of an imaging sensor will be reviewed.