Testing multiple laser systems on the Chameleon EO system: a single target approach

Over the last few decades, laser weapon systems have evolved rapidly. This evolution has resulted in a proliferation of many different laser system types. In the past, nearly all weapons systems contained primarily Ng:Yag lasers. Today, a wide range of lasers including eyesafe lasers and long wavelength CO₂ lasers are commonplace. When these lasers are integrated into weapon systems they take on many different forms. During the same time, Strong DoD initiatives for standardized test equipment have emerged with the goal of testing a wide variety of systems on a single set of common test equipment. This paper describes the basic performance parameters and system design approaches of laser weapon systems, the challenges they present to test equipment standardization, and the proposed solutions provided by use of the Chameleon Target