Advanced Airborne Defensive Laser for Incorporation on Strike Fighter Aircraft

A technical and operational analysis of an airborne “hard-kill” Ytterbium fiber laser-based anti-missile system for use on strike fighters.

Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California

Short-range missiles pose a significant threat to U.S. strike fighters. These missiles are usually small and highly mobile and can be carried on light vehicles and by individual people. Although these missiles do not have a long range, the unpredictability of their launch sites increases their lethality. Also contributing to their lethality are the methods of homing in on their targets. Most are passive methods, such as infrared. Unlike active radar homing, these missiles provide no warning to the aircraft that it is being tracked until the missile has been launched.

The varieties of homing methods for these missiles can also provide problems for aircraft countermeasure systems. Each type of homing method requires a different type of countermeasure. All current airborne countermeasure systems rely on “soft-kill” methods of protection involving confusion or distraction of the homing system. These systems work differently for different homing methods and must be constantly upgraded to protect against ever more complex targeting systems.