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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”

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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

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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

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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

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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

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2

3

4

12

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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

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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

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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

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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

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• 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