ELECTRONIC WARFARE SOUTH AFRICA 2017International Conference & Exhibition6-8 November 2017 | CSIR, Pretoria

ELECTRONIC WARFARE SOUTH AFRICA 2017International Conference & Exhibition6-8 November 2017 | CSIR, Pretoria

Optical Warfare: A historical to

to current perspective,

and possible future trends

Bertus TheronOptronic Sensor Systems.CSIR — Defence, Peace, Safety & Security

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Contents ― 1

• Optical & IR spectral region: Importance for Defence

• EW in Optical & IR spectral region

• EW in Optical & IR at U.S. NRL 1972 and 2016

• “Optical Warfare - The New Frontier” (1989 article)

• Electronic warfare: A definition (revisited)

• Technologies for “Optical Warfare”:

– It lagged behind Electronic & RF technologies?

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Contents ― 2

• Timeline: “Electrical” communication & Origins of EW

• Timeline: RF technologies & Origins of EW

• Timeline: Some optical technologies

• Status quo: Some optical technologies

• Future:

– Which new optical threats?

– Other exploitable factors?

– Which new countermeasures?

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Optical & Infrared spectral region:

Importance for Defence ― 1

• IR/EO imaging — surveillance & reconnaissance

• Signature & threat detection, tracking (and identification)

• Ranging

• Target acquisition

• Weapons guidance

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Optical & Infrared spectral region:

Importance for Defence ― 2

• High-energy laser weapons

• Communication

• Navigation & Mapping

• Photonic components & subsystems

Perspective:

Importance remains alongside other parts of the EM spectrum,

not replacing those other parts

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37235168

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EW in Optical & IR spectral region

• Entered consideration of electromagnetic warfare practitioners

– Early 1970s, probably

• Historic examples: Use of the term “Optical Warfare”:

– 1972 at U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

– 1989 by an article in “Australian Aviation”

– Are there examples earlier than 1972?

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1328782

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EW in Optical & IR at U.S. NRL 1972

U.S. Naval Research Laboratory structure snapshot 1972

Tactical Electronic WarfareDivision

Branches

Acoustic WarfareAirborne Electronic Warfare SystemsShips Electronic Warfare SystemsElectronic Warfare Support MeasuresAdvanced Techniques

Activities associated with Optical / IR EWnot evident here even when checkingfurther detail

Optical SciencesDivision

Optical Warfare Branch

Optical & IR countermeasuresOptical intelligenceOptical and electro-optical techniquesOptical radar

… other branches

OtherDivisions

⁞

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EW in Optical & IR at U.S. NRL 2016

U.S. Naval Research Laboratory structure snapshot 2016

Optical SciencesDivision

Research activities & facilities:

⁞⁞

Optical / IR EW no longer evident here

OtherDivisions

⁞

Tactical Electronic WarfareDivision

Research activities and facilities include:• Electro-optics mobile laboratory• Infrared electro-optical calibration &

characterization lab• Infrared missile simulator & simulator

development laboratory• IR field evaluation facility• Ultrashort pulse laser effects research &

analysis laboratory• Optical laboratory

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In that article’s introduction it stated the following:

“… As with EW at lower frequencies, the electronic battle at optical

frequencies is equally intense and can have an equally decisive

impact upon a conflict. …”

Also note that:

• EW is definitely a core topic of the article.

• Context: Stealth was still an emerging technology at the time

• Stealth was seen as:– rendering RF less useful– and optical & IR more necessary

“Optical Warfare - The New Frontier”, Carlo Kopp, 1989,

http://www.ausairpower.net/optical-warfare.html

“Optical Warfare - The New Frontier” (1989 article)

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“Optical Warfare - The New Frontier” (1989 article)

That article then discusses the following topics:

• IR trackers

• IR Search & Track systems (IRST or IRS&T)

• Thermal Imaging

• Laser range-finding

• Laser target designation

• High energy laser weapons

• Heatseeking & imaging weapon guidance

• Electro-optical defensive suite

Comment: Seems that author (Copp, 1989) assigned broader meanings to “Optical Warfare”, though in the context of using optical & IR to overcome the risk of RF being rendered less efficient by “emerging stealth”

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EW is defined as the art & science of:

• Preserving the use of the EM spectrum for friendly use

• While denying its use to the enemy.

EM spectrum = dc to light (and beyond)

Thus:

Full RF spectrum,

IR spectrum, Optical spectrum, UV spectrum.

See [3]: David Adamy, “EW102. A Second Course in Electronic Warfare”, 2004

Electronic warfare: Definition (revisited)

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Technologies underlying “Optical Warfare”

lagged Electronic & RF technologies

Possible historic reasons

• EO/IR detectors & sensors which could convert to convenient

electronic signal initially lacked, and was slow.

• Unsatisfactory electronic image quality and limitations on recording

capabilities.

• Where imaging mattered photographic film was still better than

electronic sensors.

• For image data the Human eye & mind remained superior

processor.

• Etc.

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16-key keyboard+ 6 galvanometers

Experiments & demonstrators

Timeline: “Electrical” communication &

Origins of Electronic Warfare (early history) – 1

18381826…

1861—1865

1858+1866

1816 18791753 1774 1804+1809

Suggested

1832—1836

Telegraphs in use (wire-based)

1833—1835

Gauss(German)

1836

Telegraphs Morse(American)

1837

Recording telegraphdots + dashes

Wheatstone,Cooke

(English)

American Civil WarUnion’s telegraph wires targetedby Confederation:•False orders •Cut•Misrouted

An origin of “EW”

Trans-Atlantic

More tech history:Beginning of

“commercial”electric power

transmission

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Experiments & demonstrators

Timeline: “Electrical” communication &

Origins of Electronic Warfare (early history) – 2

1861—1865

1753 1774

Suggested Telegraphs in use (wire-based)

1836

Morse

1837

American Civil War

An origin of “EW”

108 yrs

87 yrs

+24 yrs5 yrs

18321864

MaxwellElectromagnetism.

i.e. only afterEW’s origins

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Military use of technology vs EW – an interpretation

Example – Wire-based Telegraphy

Signal generationtechnology

Signal receptiontechnology

Transmissionmedium:

Wire

Wire-based telegraphy technology

Militaryutilisation

Developed, used, improved

•False orders •Cut•Misroute

American Civil War example:Opponent attacked telegraphysystem, to deny its enemythe technological advantage

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Wir

ele

sste

legr

aph 1895 Demo

1897Early radio telegraph station

Military exercise

Russo-Japanesewar

Timeline: Radiofrequency technologies &

Origins of Electronic Warfare – 1

1902

1901

EMw

ave

s 1864

1888

Maxwell

Hertz

1904–1905

Non-military

1939– 1945

Technology milestone (examples)

Rad

ar

1930– 1935

Development + Demo

1st Radar stations

Primitive DF1906

1915 DF stations (England)

1917 US ship-bourne DFfor ASW

1935

Early RF EW examples Early RF EW examples

1936– 1938

Radar jamming(so ECM)

+ anti-jamming(so ECCM)

Wir

ele

sssp

ee

ch

1900 Demo

Shortwave radio1920

RF navigation used 1940

1914– 1918WW1

WW2

1st airborne ELINT

1939Against GermanNight-bombing 1940

1914Communicationsintercepted

Also decryption ofenemy communication

1914– 1918

RF EW etc.RF EW etc.RF technologies etc.

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1895 DemoRusso-Japanesewar

Timeline: Radiofrequency technologies &

Origins of Electronic Warfare – 2

EMw

ave

s

1888 Hertz

1904–1905

Radiojamming

1939– 1945

Technology milestone (examples)

Rad

ar 1930– 1935

Development + Demo

1915 DF stations (England)

Early RF EW examples Early RF EW examples

Radarjamming

1936– 1938

Wir

ele

sssp

ee

ch

1900 Demo

1914– 1918WW1

WW2

1939

AirborneELINT

1940

Interception &also decryptionof enemy’scommunication

1914– 1918

Directionfinding

COMINT

Navigationjamming

Wir

ele

sste

legr

aph

RF navigationdevelopment

1930 Etc. ?

27 yrs

20 yrs

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Military use of technology vs EW – an interpretation

Example – RF technologies

RF Signal generation&

RF sourcetechnology

RF detector&

Signal receptiontechnology

Transmissionmedium:

Free-space

Radiofrequency Technologies

Militaryutilisation

Developed, used, improved

Wirelesstelegraph

Radar RF navigation

Jamming

ELINT

Direction finding

COMINT

RF Signal generation&

RF sourcetechnology

RF detector&

Signal receptiontechnology

Radar Warning Receivers

Decoys

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Timeline: Optical radiation ― Discoveries & Detectors

Year Band Detector Remarks

― Visible Human eye Known to mankind. Not understood

1672-1678 Visible Human eye Understanding light as wave

1800 Infrared Liquid-in-glass thermometerwith blackened bulb

1801 Ultraviolet Silver chloride-soaked paper

1830 Infrared Thermocouple

1835 Infrared Thermopile

1839 Visible? Photographic film

1864 ― ― EM wave theory. Maxwell

1880 Infrared Bolometer

See Rogalski, 2012

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Timeline: Optical & Infrared technologies

and Electronic Warfare – 1

Year Band Detector

1934 Visible? etc Photomultiplier tube

1933―1943

Infrared (up to mid-IR) Lead Sulphide Germany

1944+ Infrared (up to mid-IR) Infrared (up to mid-IR) IR guided seekers (Germany)

1948 Visible? Phototransistor& photodiode

1949 Infrared ― IR guided missiles (U.S.)

1968 Infrared ― Production of MANPADS start

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EW against optical threats ― 1

Threat Warning sensor or Countermeasures

Human eye (hostile observer) Dazzling or distraction (using laser)

Laser eye damage (friendly observer) Laser eye protection & Laser warning

EO/IR imaging systems / cameras (passive) Detection using “glint” (passive)or using laser (active)

Sniper Sniper warning (if laser used)

Guided bullets / smart bullets What guidance? How to counter?

Hostile Fire Hostile fire detection methods,e.g. particular spectral band or features

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EW against optical threats ― 2

Threat Warning sensor or Countermeasures

Laser weapons Pre-emptive detection. How?•Off axis detection, and atmospheric effects•Non-optical effects???•Detect probing beam.

Laser weapons(continued)

Other:•Laser warning (which new wavelengths?)•Exploit dwell time.•Exploit communication vulnerability between distributed laser weapons systems

•Obscuration by smoke or plasma shield

Free space optical communication links

Stray laser radiation detection

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EW against optical threats ― 3

Threat Warning sensor or Countermeasures

Lidar Laser warning: New wavelengths? Other features

Optical navigation techniques

Laser warning: New wavelengths? Other features

Various optical threats, e.g. laser

Plasma shields?Metamaterials?

Thank you

Bertus Theron, btheron@csir.co.za

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Literature references

[1] “History of radar”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_radar, accessed 2017-10-26

[2] “Chronology” (Marconi company radar history),

http://marconiradarhistory.pbworks.com/w/page/29670039/Chronology, accessed 2017-10-26

[3] David L. Adamy , “EW 102: A Second Course in Electronic Warfare”, Artech House Publications, 2004

[4] David L. Adamy , “EW 104: …”, Artech House Publications, 2015

[5] “History of telecommunication”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_telecommunication, accessed 2017-10-31

[6] “Electrical Telegraph”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_telegraph, accessed 2017-10-31

[7] “Ultraviolet”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet, accessed 2017-10-31

[8] A Rogalski, “History of infrared detectors”, Opto−Electronics Review, 20 (3), 2012, pp279–308