Charles T Le, 53Santa Ana, CA

6785032, Aug 31, 2004

Jul 28, 1988

07/225180

Charles Elwood Le Mere - San Pedro CA

Recon/Optical, Inc. - Barrington IL

G02B 2602

359227, 359230, 359614

A laser countermeasure system uses a fluence trigger along an optical path between an entrance and a detector at an output. The fluence trigger detects laser radiation and blocks the passage thereof beyond the trigger. A shutter at the front end can be operated in response to detection by the trigger. A threat analyzer also receives radiation and automatically breaks the radiation into spectral components for correlation to appropriate filters to remove the harmful coherent radiation. A tunable filter and/or a filter wheel is interposed along the optical path and is controlled by an adjustment system, illustratively servo controls. The adjustment system responds to the threat analyzer to select and interpose automatically the proper filter(s) to attenuate or block the coherent radiation. Thereafter, the fluence trigger and/or shutter operate to restore full operation along the optical path. The system and method provide look-through capability and mission continuity in the face of unknown laser threats.