Electronic warfare in the optical band: Main features, examples and selected measurement data

Abstract

The paper presents the possibilities of, and methods for, acquiring, analysing and processing optical signals in order to recognise, identify and counteract threats on the contemporary battleground. The main ways electronic warfare is waged in the optical band of the electromagnetic wave spectrum have been formulated, including the acquisition of optical emitter signatures, as well as ultraviolet (UV) and thermal (IR) signatures. The physical parameters and values describing the emission of laser radiation are discussed, including their importance in terms of creating optical signatures. Moreover, it has been shown that in the transformation of optical signals into signatures, only their spectral and temporal parameters can be applied. This was confirmed in experimental part of the paper, which includes our own measurements of spectral and temporal emission characteristics for three types of binocular laser rangefinders. It has been further shown that through simple registration and quick analysis involving comparison of emission time parameters in the case of UV signatures in “solar-blind” band, various events can be identified quickly and faultlessly. The same is true for IR signatures, where the amplitudes of the recorded signal for several wavelengths are compared. This was confirmed experimentally for UV signatures by registering and then analyzing signals from several events during military exercises at a training ground, namely Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) launches and explosions after hitting targets, trinitrotoluene (TNT) explosions, firing armour-piercing, fin-stabilised, discarding sabots (APFSDS) or high explosive (HE) projectiles. The final section describes a proposed model database of emitters, created as a result of analysing and transforming the recorded signals into optical signatures.