Development of Coherent Laser Radar at Lincoln Laboratory

Abstract

■ The invention of the laser in 1960 created the possibility of using a source of coherent light as a transmitter for a laser radar. Coherent laser radars share many of the basic features of more common microwave radars. However, it is the extremely short operating wavelength of lasers that introduces new military applications, especially in the area of target identification and missile guidance. This article traces laser-radar development at Lincoln Laboratory from 1967 to 1994. This development involved the construction, testing, and demonstration of two laser-radar systems—the high-power, long-range Firepond laser-radar system and the compact short-range Infrared Airborne Radar (IRAR) system. Firepond addressed strategic military applications such as space-object surveillance and ballistic missile defense, while IRAR was used as a test bed for airborne detection and identification of tactical targets.