COMBAT UNITY VISION DEVICE WITH MODULAR LASER FILTER

ON THE NEAR-TERM BATTLEFIELD, FREQUENT LASER IRRADIATION OF PERSONNEL AND SENSORS IS VERY LIKELY. THIS RADIATION-RICH ENVIRONMENT WILL POSE A SERIOUS OCULAR HAZARD TO UNPROTECTED PERSONNEL PEERING FROM THE RELATIVE DARKNESS OF VEHICLE INTERIORS. THERE ARE MANY VISIBLE COMMERCIAL LASERS MAY BECOME SUPPRESSIVE THREATS BY MERE TRANSPORTATION TO THE BATTLEFIELD. PROTECTION BY REJECTION FILTERS SIMULTANEOUSLY AT MANY WAVELENGTHS WILL CRIPPLE THE SOLDIER'S VISION. THERE IS NO PRACTICABLE OPTICAL LIMITING TECHNIQUE WHICH OFFERS ANY PROMISE OF THE REQUISITE SHUTTERING TO 4D IN ONE PICOSECOND WITH A USEFUL DYNAMIC RANGE OF A MILLION TO ONE. S-TRON PROPOSES OPTIMIZATION OF FIXED-WAVELENGTH FILTERS BY INTERFERENCE AND DYE TECHNIQUES FOR COUNTERING ACTUAL THREAT LASERS AS THEY APPEAR, ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS; AND THE DESIGN OF A COMMANDER'S SHORT PERISCOPE TO ACCOMMODATE THESE SPECIALIZED FILTERS INTERCHANGEABLY. THE PRACTICALITY OF INDIRECT VISION WITHIN THE PERISCOPY BODY, WITH THE SENSOR ITSELF INCOMPLETELY PROTECTED BY MODULAR FILTERS, WILL ALSO BE ANALYZED.