Description

Major technology advancements in Laser Radar (LADAR) have made a profound new impact on future mobile, airborne and space-based missions. In an effort to cope with problems such as target clutter, battlefield commanders require a new breed of LADAR, consisting of new programs such as Jigsaw and True 3D Flash. New LADAR systems and applications are currently in development, and will be based on entirely new technology, which has not been feasible until just now. These new LADAR technologies will support the Service-wide drive for a Single Integrated Air Picture (SIAP), which provides military forces access to reliable information about ground, air, space or undersea threats in any given theater of operations to achieve total theater air dominance. Developmental challenges are vast for LADAR and opportunities for industry involvement appear to be endless.

What You Will Learn:

• How is a LADAR designed?
• How is the LADAR optical system designed?
• How can the LADAR system be used?
• How is the LADAR beam delivered?
• What are the characteristics of the LADAR beam?

From this course you will obtain the knowledge and ability to perform laser, and laser systems engineering design, calculations, identify tradeoffs, interact meaningfully with colleagues, evaluate systems, and understand the literature.

Course Outline:

• LASER RADAR: EMERGING CAPABILITIES & REQUIREMENTS

• A Guide to Laser RADAR Capabilities for Mobile, Airborne and Space-Based Missions
• What Critical System Functions are Required for Laser RADAR?
• What are the Capability Requirements for Spacecraft-Based Laser RADAR Terminals?
• Tools and Techniques for Detection, Recognition, Tracking and ID

• CURRENT & FUTURE LASER RADAR SYSTEM PROTOTYPES & PROGRAMS

• LITE-LADAR in Space
• Remote Sensing of Wind Velocities and Atmospheric Turbulence
• Coherent LADAR / Optical Phased Arrays
• Jigsaw
• Proximity Detection and Fusing
• Altimetry
• Mine Detection and UXO
• LADAR/LIDAR and Optical Comms Hybrids
• Laser Power Transmission

• OVERCOMING KEY TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES

• Where are the Opportunities in Laser RADAR Architectures Development?
• When Will Enhanced Survivability be Realized?
• Beam Transmission: Making it Work
• Overcoming Key Atmospheric Effects Related to:

• EXPERT INSIGHTS ON MEASURING LASER RADAR PERFORMANCE

• Tools and Techniques for Establishing Requirements and Estimating Performance
• Key Performance Trade-offs for Laser RADAR Systems
• Examining the Tradeoffs of Size/Weight vs. Cost, Mobility
• Examining the Tradeoffs of Power vs. Range, Availability
• Mass, Power, Volume and Cost Estimation
• Reliability and Quality Assurance
• Environmental Tests
• Component Specifics (Lasers, Detectors, Optics)

• UNDERSTANDING THE KEY COMPONENTS AND SUB-SYSTEMS

• Current Challenges and Future Capabilities in Laser Transmitters
• Why Modulation is Key for Successful System Performance
• Frequency/Wavelength Control for Signal-to-Noise Improvements
• The Real Impact of the Transmitter Telescope on System Performance
• Which Receivers are Most Useful for Detecting Optical Signals
• Pointing and Tracking

• FUTURE APPLICATIONS OF LASER RADAR SYSTEMS

• Detection, Recognition & ID -Free Space
• Through foliage, camouflage, backfield smoke/obscurants…
• Velocity Measurements / Vibration Measurements
• Automated Target Recognition
• Collision Avoidance / Highway Management
• Robotic Motion Control
• Terrain Following/Avoidance
• Highway Management
• Robotic Systems Security Systems
• Clear Air Turbulence Detection
• Security Systems

Instructor(s):

Dr. James Pierre Hauck is president of a consulting firm in San Diego, CA. Dr. Hauck 34 years’ has experience in industry as a manager and technical leader. He has 12 years full time equivalent teaching experience gained teaching Physics, Astronomy, Mathematics, and Electrical Engineering at the college and university level. Have also has taught about 3-4 dozen specialized technology training courses, mainly on lasers, optics, electro-optics and fiber-optics, and given many other presentations on applications of these systems. He has 30 years of industrial experience, mostly in DoD R&D contracting but also including consulting to invent, design, build and test various industrial laser and optical systems.