Laser warning receiver
As part of the increasing range of sensors of hostile electronic warfare, a laser warning receiver detects the energy of laser rangefinders or laser designators. It is often necessary for them to contain multiple semiconductor detectors to cover the multiple wavelengths used by military lasers. The receiver must detect optical signals from all angles, and provide information on their wavelength, possibly modulation, and direction of arrival.
While uncooled detectors are available for shorter wavelengths, the basic technologies for long-wave infrared tend to require cryogenic detectors. The infrared seekers of missiles can rely on compressed gas cooling, since they only need to operate for a short time, but this is much more problematic for a continuously operating warning receiver.
Wavelength | Detector technology | Comments |
---|---|---|
Ultraviolet, visible and short infrared (0.3-1.1 nm) | uncooled silicon | |
Short and middle infrared | ||
10.6 nm far infrared | Challenging:[1]
|
Range of CO2 lasers |
Systems
An early version was the AN/AVR-2 and its vehicle derivative, the AN/VVR-1. The General Accounting Office found these performed poorly.
AN/APR-39 devices come both as laser warning receivers (AN/APR-39B(V)2) and as combined laser warning receivers and electronic countermeasures suite controllers (AN/APR-39B(V)2). Made by Northrop Grumman, in the controller version, they are part of the Suite of Integrated Sensors and Countermeasures (SISCM), which integrates and displays data from onboard sensors including radar.
References
- ↑ Uncooled Photodetectors in YAG/CO2 Laser Warning Receiver, Boston Scientific