Laser-based missile defense for helicopters on the anvil
September 3rd, 2010 - 11:57 am ICT by ANIWashington, Sept 3 (ANI): A new laser technology being developed at the University of Michigan and Omni Sciences, Inc. will protect helicopters in combat from enemy missiles.
“Our lasers give off a signal that’s like throwing sand in the eyes of the missile,” said Mohammed Islam.
These sturdy and portable “mid-infrared supercontinuum lasers” are being made using economical and off-the-shelf telecommunications fibre optics and could blind heat-seeking weapons from a distance of 1.8 miles away.
The robust, simple design can withstand shaky helicopter flight and their mid-infrared supercontinuum mode can effectively jam missile sensors.
They also give off a focused beam packed with light from a much broader range of wavelengths. And they are the first to operate in longer infrared wavelengths that humans can’t see, but can feel as heat. Heat-seeking missiles are designed to home in on the infrared radiation that the helicopter engine emits.
Because this new laser emits such a broad spectrum of infrared light, it can effectively mimic the engine’s electromagnetic signature and confuse any incoming weapons, Islam said.
“We’ve used good, old-fashioned stuff from your telephone network to build a laser that has no moving parts,” therefore being especially well suited for helicopters, Islam said. (ANI)
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Tags: anvil, broad spectrum, enemy missiles, heat heat, helicopter engine, helicopter flight, helicopters, infrared light, infrared radiation, infrared wavelengths, laser technology, lasers, missile defense, mohammed islam, moving parts, omni, optics, sensors, telephone network, university of michigan