Apparatus for combining an optical and laser system and including a

Abstract

Apparatus for combining an optical and laser system as, for example, in weapons systems where sighting an observation is to be employed and wherein the optical channel may be a sighting device such as a periscope and wherein the laser may comprise a laser transmitter for telemetry or for the purposes of Identification Friend or Foe. The transparent optical system transmits light wave energy and also includes the emission range of the laser transmitter. There are problems of mounting the two systems due to space limitations and in the present invention the output of the laser radiation into the optical system is accomplished by the use of optical fiber bundles which extend from the laser transmitter to the optical system. The emitting surface of the optical fiber bundle can be mounted so as to introduce into the optical system the laser energy at a favorable location and with small amounts of space and the optical bundle can couple the laser radiation directly into the optical system or through the use of a beam divider. In certain embodiments, an additional focusing lens system can be placed between the emitting surface of the optical fiber bundle or an autofocusing optical fiber bundle can be utilized.