Beam Control Test Range for Passive and Active Optic Tracker

The detection and continuous tracking of fast-flying distant objects such as rockets, artillery and mortars (RAM) or UAVs requires sensitive tracking systems of high precision with accuracies in the sub-μrad range and high actuating frequencies in the kHz range. These requirements arise from the omnipresent air turbulences which determine the pointing stability and consequently result into a reduced power density at the target object. Additionally mechanical vibrations decrease the beam pointing accuracy further more. A beam control system for directing a high power laser beam onto a moving target was designed and is under construction. We report on the current progress and give an overview of the complete system. Selected sub-systems are described in more detail. We particularly focus on the data transfer between the passive and the active optic tracker. The beam control system will be implemented at the DLR laser test range in Lampoldshausen. The test range is an outstanding facility to test and characterized laser beam propagation under realistic weather and turbulence conditions. Considering laser safety issues it is possible to transmit high power or high energy laser beams over a range of 130m. Several sensors acquire 24/7 comprehensive data of weather conditions and atmospheric turbulence quantities. For dynamic tracking and target irradiation a highly accurate agile target platform is available to accelerate different targets. We present the performance characteristics of the target platform to evaluate passive and active optical beam control systems