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The document discusses Laser Dazzlers, low-power visible laser devices designed for non-lethal applications such as hailing, warning, and visual suppression in military operations. It outlines their advantages, human effects, safety considerations, hardware specifications, and regulatory policies, emphasizing their utility in urban operations and the importance of safety standards. The document also highlights the need for training and compliance with safety regulations to mitigate injury risks associated with laser use.

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Roberd Lee
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6 views

Ad 1201684

The document discusses Laser Dazzlers, low-power visible laser devices designed for non-lethal applications such as hailing, warning, and visual suppression in military operations. It outlines their advantages, human effects, safety considerations, hardware specifications, and regulatory policies, emphasizing their utility in urban operations and the importance of safety standards. The document also highlights the need for training and compliance with safety regulations to mitigate injury risks associated with laser use.

Uploaded by

Roberd Lee
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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UNCLASSIFIED

Laser Dazzler Effects


and Applications
NATO Military Police Close Protection Forum 2023
17 May 2023

Joint Intermediate Force Capabilities Office (JIFCO)


US Dept. of Defense

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Agenda
• What are Laser Dazzlers?
• General effects & applications
• Human Effects & Injury Risks
• Effects: Hailing/Warning, Distraction, Visual
Suppression
• Conditions affecting performance
• Hardware
• Power output, wavelengths, form factors
• Engineering controls for effects and safety
• Policy & Regulatory Considerations
• Safety standards, laser safety review boards

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What are Laser Dazzlers?


Low power visible laser devices intended to have
reversible non-lethal effects
• Temporarily overwhelming an adversary’s visual sense
by emitting a credible glare source
• Providing an unequivocal, non-verbal warning
• Providing the target an opportunity to clarify intent

Advantages:
• Relatively low-cost
• Relatively small form factor
• Reliable effects, short & long range
• Low risk of injury

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General Applications & Effects


Applications:
• Convey Protection
• Entry Control Points
• Urban Operations
• Long Range Vehicle & Vessel
Hailing
• Dismounted Patrol

Effects:
• Unambiguous Hailing/Warning
• Glare
• After Images
• Temporary Visual Suppression

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Example Vignette: Urban Operations

MANEUVER TO OBJECTIVE:
• Coalition forces conducting operations in megacity across the
continuum.
• Joint Forces must maneuver through urban areas to reach
objectives.
• Noncombatants number in the tens of thousands and attempt to
lead normal lives.
• Civilian vehicle and foot traffic impede movement of friendly
forces.

INTERMEDIATE FORCE CAPABILITIES (IFCs):


• Dazzling Laser and Acoustic Hailing Device mounted on
Escalation of Force (EOF) Common Remotely Operated
Weapon Station (CROWS) warns pedestrians/vehicle
operators to give way.
• Vehicle Mounted Solid-State Active Denial Technology
EoF CROWS
(SS-ADT) clears roads of non-compliant individuals.
• Vehicle Mounted Radio Frequency Vehicle Stopper protects
friendly forces from vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices.

OPERATIONAL IMPACT:
• Help to prevent unnecessary destruction and loss of life.
• Expand decision time and space in ambiguous situations.
• Enable proactive operations while reducing risk in information
space.
Solid-State Active Denial
Technology

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Human Effects
Irradience (𝝁𝝁𝑾𝑾�𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝟐𝟐 )
+

Visible Detection Unambiguous Warning Visual Suppression

• Size of glare in visual fields


increases as irradiance on
target increases

• Glare effects often


increased behind glass
through scattering

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Effects of Ambient Lighting

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Dazzler Wavelengths

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Dazzler Wavelengths

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Safety & Injury Risks


• Laser device can cause injuries to eyes and skin

• However, visible laser dazzlers do not pose any risk of skin injuries and
eye injuries can be prevented with administrative (training, rules of
engagement) and engineering controls

• Desired non-lethal effects can be achieved well below thresholds for


injury and laser hazard standards

• US Department of Defense uses American National Standards Institute


(ANSI) Z136.1

• Maximum permissible exposure (MPE) for ¼ second exposure


• 2.5 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚⁄𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐2
• 0% risk of injury when below MPE

• Nominal Ocular Hazard Distance is defined as distance from laser


source where peak irradiance falls below MPE

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Laser Technology & Form Factor


Laser Technology: Form Factors:
• Solid state, diode-pumped
• Output: mW to tens of
Watts Handheld
• Wavelengths (i.e., colors):
• A lot of options now:
red, green, blue, etc.
• Most common is a
frequency doubled Weapon-mounted
Nd:YAG (neodymium-
doped yttrium
aluminum garnet) –
532nm (green)
Platform-mounted

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Laser Spot Size & Beam Profile


• Laser spots are not uniform in intensity
• Spot sizes can be defined by different conventions

1�
𝑒𝑒 2

• You could also define an “effective spot size”


Images from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaussian_beam

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Hardware Trade Space


Divergence angle

• Power output
𝜃𝜃 Spot Size • Divergence angle
• Spot size
• Effective Range
• Nominal Ocular
Hazard Distance

NOHD

Effective Range

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Engineering Controls
• Engineering controls can be utilized to maximize
utility for a given laser source

• Example: Integrated laser range finder output


used to automatically adjust laser divergence to
maximize effect and minimize risk of injury based on
range to target

w/ Engineering
Controls

Effective Range

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Fielded Systems
US Navy:
• B. E. Meyers “GLARE” LA-9/P – 250mW
output power includes a safety control
module
• Long Range Ocular Interrupter (LROI):
Green Dazzling Laser; Warning: 3000m;
Suppression: 2000m
• Hailing Acoustic Laser and Light Tactical LA-9/P
Systems (HALLTS): Integrates a BE LROI
Meyers LA/9-P with acoustic hailing
• Optical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy (ODIN)
to disrupt unmanned aerial systems and
other platforms

USMC:
• B.E. Meyers 532-VPS GLARE RECOIL

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Fielded Systems
US Air Force: GLARE
RECOIL
• BE Meyers GLARE RECOIL

US Army:
• Z-bolt Laser System Model MBP-5-
ARMY; 3-5 mW output power Z-Bolt
• Green Laser Interdiction Systems
(GLIS) – B.E. Meyers GLARE MOUT;
250 mW output power GLARE
MOUT

US Coast Guard:
CG-HALLTS
• LA-9/P
• CG-HALLTS

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JIFCO-developed Distributed Sound and Light Array


(DSLA) Prototype

Performance Specifications:
• Dazzling Laser Output Power:
• 8 watts; Coherent TracER Green
Forensic Laser System
• Wavelength: 532 nm
• Spot-Size: 3m
• Cooling: Air-cooled
Mini-DSLA mounted on a Tower
• Weight: 10 lbs
• Acoustic Output:
• 145 dB Acoustic Output with
beamforming
• Bright White Light:
• Maxa Beam Model MBS-430-AY;
12,000 candlepower; Range
3500m; 10 spot; 400 Flood; 3.2 lbs

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Regulatory & Policy Considerations

• Laser devices, as compared to other light-


emitting devices, are subject to much more
regulatory review, control, marking, & procedures
• Hazards standards
• Institutional laser safety review boards

• Regulatory compliance can sometimes be a


hurdle to train, test, & employ with laser dazzlers

• Training and administrative & engineering safety


controls are key to safe and effective use for both
the operator and targeted individuals

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Regulatory & Policy Considerations

• 1995 United Nations Protocol on Blinding Laser


Weapons
• “It is prohibited to employ laser weapons specifically
designed, as their sole combat function or as one of
their combat functions, to cause permanent blindness
to unenhanced vision…”
• “…take all feasible precautions to avoid the incidence
of permanent blindness to unenhanced vision. Such
precautions shall include training of their armed
forces and other practical measures.”

• Non-lethal laser dazzlers are not prohibited by


this protocol as they are intended to have non-
injurious, temporary effects; however, each new
device may have to be evaluated for compliance

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Questions?

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