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1
Low Cost Infrared Countermeasures (IRCM)
Aircraft Protection Systems
Raytheon Missile Systems
Elka E. Koehler, Ph.D.
October 6th, 2005
2 Proliferation is Massive
The Threat
Source: Bart Elias, Congressional Research Service, 2 Dec 03
• Military Inventories estimate– 350K – 500K missiles
• Non-State Actors– 25-30 groups (IRA, FARC, Hezbollah, PKK)
– 5-150K missiles
• Reported IR missiles– Stinger (USA)– SA-7, SA-14/16/18 (Russia)– HN-5/QW-1 (China)
• Reports of Missiles in Circulation– “5,592 missiles captured in Afghanistan as
of December 2002”– “4-5K available to Iraqi insurgents”
3
The Warfighter Needs Protection …
Protect The Warfighter From MANPADS & Air-to-Air Missiles
AH-1W Super Cobra Fires on Iraqi positions in S. Iraq
Current jammers can’t do the job:
– costly, heavy & bulky
The Need
US Black Hawk Helicopter crashes near Tikrit in Iraq, six marines dead (Nov ’03)
UH-60 Blackhawk over Iraq
4
The Need
• Manpads will unavoidably become more attractive to terrorists
– 2002 attempt to bring down Israeli airliner at Mambosa, Kenya
• Deploying antimissile defenses on planes is too expensive now
- Equipping 6,800 commercial jets would cost $11B
- Annual operating costs would be $2.1B
• Total federal spending on all transportation security is ~$4.4B
Commercial Airlines Need Protection……..
A Reliable Low-Cost Aircraft Protection System is Needed Now
Source: RAND Report, Jan 05
5
Programs Overview
The Shout for Affordable Aircraft Self-Protection is Loud & Clear
Scorpion Low Cost Aircraft Protection System
Quiet Eyes Low Cost DIRCM Micro-Turret
• Very low cost, low weight, small size
• Leverages production systems to achieve high reliability
• Meets full coverage & performance requirements
Laser
ControllerPointerController
Pointer
LaserMW Sensor
“The Incumbents can’t get on the small helos”
“Cost, weight, reliability are big issues for existing systems”
Navy: Rapid Technology Transition Program
OSD & Air Force: Defense Acquisition Challenge Program
6
How It Works
Laser-based Infrared Countermeasures (IRCM)
• Missile launch is detected by missile warning sensors
• Pointer is directed onto, and tracks, the missile
• A low power infrared laser jams the missile seeker
• Laser jamming causes the missile to miss
Jamming Laser
Missile Warning Coverage
1
2
3
4
12
3
4
7
• Already in production
• Very low cost
• Proven reliability
• Small size & weight
AIM-9X Pointer
AIM-9X Pointer
Pointer Based on Production AIM-9X Missile
Sidewinder
AIM-9X
8
Pointer Optical Components
Pod
• Telescope: Dome, lenses, mirrors, prisms– Collects infrared light emitted by incoming missile
• Detector: An array of semiconductor material sensitive to infrared light– Converts incident light into electronic signals
• Laser: High intensity light source– Confuses incoming missile’s detector
Lenses
Laser
Dome
Pointer
Optics are Critical Components of Aircraft Protection Sytems
9
Thermal Radiation from Missile
Laser Beam from PointerMissile
Summary of the Aircraft Protection System
• Incoming missile heats up and emits infrared light (Thermal radiation)
• Telescope detects and tracks thermal radiation of incoming missile
Pointer Telescope
Pointer Laser• Laser wavelength must match incoming missile’s operational wavelength
• Multi-band laser necessary to protect from various threats:
•Stinger, SA-7, SA-14/16/18, HN-5/QW-1
• Laser is modulated to jam the incoming missile
Pointer
10
Multi-band IR LaserMissile Warning Sensors
• Design accommodates a variety of missile warning sensors (UV, IR)
• Raytheon produces robust 1-color sensors currently flying on F16Is
• Navy Scorpion program upgrades production 1-color sensors to 2-color.
Missile Warning Sensors and Multi-band Laser also Mature
• Design works with a variety of mid IR laser technologies
• Raytheon working with Aculight on both Navy (Scorpion) & Air Force Defense Acquisition Challenge program (Quiet Eyes)
• All lasers are multi-band IR
Missile Warning Sensors & Laser
11
• Optics are critical components of IRCM aircraft protections systems– Pointer telescope detects and tracks threats– Laser jams and confuses incoming missiles
• Significant benefits compared with existing systems– Very Low Cost– Highly reliable– Small package
• Multiple services pursuing capability– Navy: Protection for small helicopters– Air Force: Affordable pointer
• Leverages proven systems to provide near term capability– AIM-9X pointer & Processor– Production missile warning sensors
• Programs showing tremendous progress– Initial pointer demonstrations complete– System prototype demonstration scheduled for late 2006
Summary
Affordable, Reliable Aircraft Self-Protection