The Boeing Company

Applied Research Associates, Inc.

Michael E Meline

Joseph Nolan Paranto

Matthew Flint Kepler

Devin M J Todd

Martin William Slack

Configurations and compositions for frameworks supporting optics such as lenses are described that provide an invariant structure regardless of temperature swings, thereby maintaining alignment and focus. Frameworks may comprise tiered structures of materials having multiple distinct coefficients of thermal expansion. An optical framework includes a first framework portion coupled to a first lens and a second framework portion coupled to a second lens. The first framework portion and second framework portion comprise materials having a coefficient of thermal expansion such that expansion of the first framework portion in one direction is offset by expansion of the second framework portion in an opposite direction.

Athermal optical frameworks

A general problem occurs when there are multiple High Energy Laser (HEL) systems designed to shoot down threat targets (e.g., rockets, artillery, and mortar (RAM), and unmanned aerial systems (UASs) and vehicles (UAVs)) in scenarios where there are multiple, simultaneous, impending threat targets. To achieve the highest target kill ratio or highest protection force efficiency, the HEL systems need to be independently allocated to unique threat targets at each specific time, such that the case where two or more HEL systems are shooting at the same target is avoided (referred to as 'target deconfliction'). The present disclosure teaches an all electro optical (EO) solution that exploits the use and affects of the HELs focused on targets and, thus, eliminates the need for any battle management (BM) and command and control (C2) systems that are currently conventionally used for target deconfliction.

All electro optical based method for deconfliction of multiple, co-located directed energy, high energy laser platforms on multiple, near simultaneous threat targets in the same battle space

Growing community of inventors

Albuquerque, NM, United States of America

Michael E Meline