Multiparameter Influence Analysis of the Target Spot Power Distribution of Airborne Laser

Abstract

With the continuous improvement of the power and miniaturization of high-energy laser weapons, the airborne laser may become the active defense weapon of the next-generation fighter. However, in order to achieve hard damage to the target, there has been a lack of comprehensive quantitative method as a reference in the parameter design of airborne laser. This paper establishes the high-altitude, slope-down, and short-range laser transmission process models based on the laser transmission simulation platform Easylaser to analyze the effect of the airborne laser weapons system parameters on the power distribution to the target spot. The simulation results show that the laser power, wavelength, laser emission aperture, tracking accuracy, and transmission distance have significant impact on the power distribution to the target spot, whereas the atmospheric mode, slanted angle, and adaptive optics almost no impact on that. On the basis of the simulation results, the response sensitivity of some parameters' variations to the power distribution to the target spot are analyzed. The response sensitivity variations of the tracking accuracy and transmission distance to the target spot power density varies greatly, while the response sensitivity variations of the laser power and emission aperture to the target power density varies little. These quantifiable outcomes can provide a basis for parameter optimization of airborne laser in the future.INDEX TERMS Airborne laser, laser transmission, power distribution to the target spot, power density, sensitivity analysis.