Light Emitting Diode Beacons for Command Guidance Missile Track Links.

Abstract

An improved automatic missile tracking and guidance system wherein a launched missile is guided along a line-of-sight maintained by the operator with the target. The position of an infrared source disposed on the missile is detected and guidance signals generated in accordance therewith to control the flight of the missile along the line-of-sight. The infrared source or beacon disposed on the missile comprises an array of semiconductor light emitting diodes. The solid state characteristics of the light emitting diodes provide heretofore unobtainable reliability over existing beacons. The beacon may be used to produce a modulated, high frequency, rectangular waveform, incoherent emission offering performance improvements including virtual immunity to optical countermeasures. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 25, 1978
Accession Number
ADD006552

Entities

People

  • Dorwin L. Kilbourn
  • Jimmy R. Duke
  • Nicholas J. Mangus Jr.
  • Robert L. Sitton
  • Walter E. Miller Jr.

Organizations

  • United States Army

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Command Guidance
  • Compound Semiconductors
  • Countermeasures
  • Diodes
  • Frequency
  • Guidance
  • Light Emitting Diodes
  • Line Of Sight
  • Optical Countermeasures
  • Semiconductors

Readers

  • Aerospace Test and Evaluation
  • Optical Fiber Sensing and Electromagnetic Propagation.
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics