Current Threat

GCP-2 Series Mounted – Individual – Crew Served Weapons – Weaver rail mount (V1) – V-Block mount (V2) Classification – 3b GCP 2A NOHD: 246m OD: 2.2

AN/AAG-22 Navigational Thermal Imaging System (NTIS) H Laser type: Nd:YAG H Wavelength: 1064 nm H Energy per pulse: 12.1 mJ H Classification: 3b H Laser eye protection: unaided: 4.1 H aided: 5.3 H NOHD Unaided: 720 m 7 X 50 binocs: 4 km 8 cm optics: 6.1 km 12 cm optics: 8.6 km

AH-1W Night Targeting System (NTS) H Laser type: Nd:YAG H Wavelength: 1064 nm H Output power: Classified H Classification: 4 H Laser eye protection: unaided: 3.5 aided: 5.2 H NOHD Unaided: 15 km 7 X 50 binocs: 48 km 8 cm optics: 59 km 12 cm optics: 69 km

See Addendum Example from Chapter 9 library IZLID II H Laser type: Gallium Arsenide H Wavelength: 870 nm H Output power: 840 mW H Classification: IV H Laser eye protection: unaided: 3.0 aided: 3.0 H NOHD Unaided: 248m 3 cm optics: 1.63 km 12 cm optics: 2.55 km

LASERS ON THE BATTLEFIELD SLOVENIA’s RLD-2 LRF BELGIUM’s TM-007 LASER POINTER ISRAEL’s AIM-1/D LASER ILLUMINATOR ISRAEL’s MALOS LRF ISRAEL’s NVL-11 LRF / LASER ILLUMINATOR

Current Threat

CURRENT FOREIGN MILITARY LASER DEVICES UV INFRARED VISIBLE AIM (MLR & EXL) TM-007 ANL-02 P-840 EUROATLAS LPL-30/Z RLD-2 LRF RLD-3 LRF MALOS NVL8700 ENOSA LRF MEIRDIAN LRF ZOG PZA-1 GAQ-4 LRF MTL-8 LRF TR 2M LRF HRLR & HRLR-ES LRF KAZAN APR-1 Norinco LR1 AIM-1/R AIM-1V POINTERS DAK-1 ~100,000 In Use Today

LASER WEAPONS EFFECTS TEMPORARY NVG Not Bloomed High Glare HUD Symbols Washed Out NVG Bloomed Beam Divergence & Canopy Effects

Laser Pointer Used as Classroom aid Misused as childrens toy, dating device, interference for the home team, small arms targeting and antiaircraft device. Uses a red laser LED operating at approximately 630 to 670 nm NOHD from 0 to 15 metres depending on manufacturer. Dazzle range can be many 100 feet.

Electromagnetic Spectrum

Laser Spectrum ULTRA- VIOLET INFRARED CORNEAL EYE DAMAGE VISIBLE RETINAL EYE DAMAGE CARBONDIOXIDECARBONDIOXIDE nm Å  m NITROGENGASNITROGENGAS HELIUM NEONHELIUM NEON HELIUMNEONHELIUMNEON NEODYMIUM YAGNEODYMIUM YAG GALLIUMARSENIDEGALLIUMARSENIDE REDRUBYREDRUBY ALEXANDRITEALEXANDRITE PINKRUBYPINKRUBY HELIUMNEONHELIUMNEON DOUBLENEODYMIUMDOUBLENEODYMIUM ARGONARGON XENONFLOURIDEXENONFLOURIDE XENONCHLORIDEXENONCHLORIDE 488nm488nm 514nm514nm 532nm532nm 633nm633nm 694nm694nm 700nm700nm 704nm704nm 830nm830nm 870nm870nm 1064nm1064nm 1118nm1118nm 1207nm1207nm 3300nm3300nm 10600nm10600nm 308nm308nm ERBIUMERBIUM 1540nm1540nm

Injury Mechanism

Sclera Choroid Retina Optic Nerve Fovea Aqueous Humor Cornea Pupil Lens Vitrious Body Macula Optic Disc Iris { { { Cross Section of Human Eye

Spectral Sensitivity of Human Eye

Absorption Characteristics Far Ultraviolet Far Infra-red Near Ultraviolet Near Infra-red & Visible

Biological Effects UV-CUV-BUV-AVisibleIR-AIR-BIR-C Photokeratitis Retinal Burns Corneal Burns Cataracts Cataracts Erythema Color Vision Night Vision Degradation Thermal Skin Burns

There must be a transfer of energy beyond the absorption/dissipation capability of the target, for damage (physical or biological) to occur.

Eye Injury (low powered CW laser) Time Damage Threshold MPE

Eye Injury (higher powered CW lasers) Time Damage Threshold MPE

Eye Injury (low energy Pulsed laser) Time Damage Threshold MPE

Eye Injury (higher energy Pulsed lasers) Time Damage Threshold MPE

Eye Injury Retina

Eye Injury

Fovea

Eye Injury

Optic Nerve

Maximum pupil diameter ~ 7mm { Radiant energy in excess of the MPE enters the eye striking the retina. O.D. requirement 1064 nm NOHD/OD Calculations at exit port

Maximum pupil diameter ~ 7mm { While reduced in power, radiant energy in excess of the MPE continues to strike the retina. O.D. requirement is less than 1064 nm calculated for specific distance. NOHD/OD Calculations < 17 km from source

Maximum pupil diameter ~ 7mm { Radiant energy less than the MPE strikes the retina. No LEP required as there is no possibility of biological damage unless... NOHD/OD Calculations > 17 km from source

... magnifying optics are placed in the beam path. OD requirement of 1064 nm. NOHD/OD Calculations < 73.5 km from source

Laser Eye Protection Absorbs or reflects wavelength specific Proper OD req’d MUST BE USED

Laser Eye Protection Percent Optical Reduction Transmittance DensityFactor , , , ,000,000

Reflection Reflection

Absorption

Wavelength nm Ideal LEP % Transmittance% Transmittance

Realistic LEP Percent Transmittance Optical Density

LEP wavelength specific 634 nm 633 nm nm 4 mw 1 mw 2 mw

634 nm 633 nm nm 4 mw 1 mw 2 mw LEP wavelength specific

Colour Perception

Incident/Accident Response

Post - Accident Procedures

Post Accident Procedures Recognising a Potential Injury – “Suspected exposure” – After image (visible lasers) – Blurred vision – Pain and tearing – Conjunctivitis

Post Accident Procedures Injury Response – Response is “time critical” – Report to Supervisor – Report to medical authorities – Testing and Treatment – Follow-up

Post Accident Procedures

From Safety with Lasers and Other Optical Sources. Sliney and Wolbarsht, 1980