Laser-Proof Sunglasses for the Cockpit?

[RJP]

Just read a magazine and don't look outside. That's what the FO is for anyway.

Juvat, why don't you just wear your helmet? You must've taken it with you when you got out, right?

 

[CatYaaak]

Those Eyeballs-hanging-from-the-springs glasses work great.

 

[SMOE]

When I was at Langley (ACC HQ) a few years back, they did have sunglasses specifically for laser protection that were being tested. Don't know if they ever went with a large scale distribution though...

 

[Air Biscuit]

I have a question about these lasers for you military guys. Don't alot of rocket and missile launchers have laser sights on them? If so we could be dealing with a much more serious problem in the near future. I think these guys might be just warming up.

 

[gunfyter]

Protection from Lasers is based on the Optical Interference Coatings or Thin Films that coat the glasses or visors. This is wavelength specific. A broader spectrum would require multiple coatings. I use to design these coatings as a student at the U of Rochester Institute of Optics... while also working at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics.

Any protective glasses that would protect against all possible wavelengths would also restrict vision.

The way the military chooses protection is based on intelligence of what laser threats are likely. I am not very current on these issues but I believe a problem with this is that a broader band of threats is available and also Lasers can be TUNED to defeat the protection.

In the 70's and 80's when I was more familiar with these issues, I believe we were only concerned about threats like the USSR having the technology to defeat our protective systems. I would imagine by now any rogue state or sophisticated Terrorist group coud easily pose a similar threat.

I believe lasers were used in the Iran Iraq war and blinded pilots causing the aircraft to crash. police helicopters were lased in LA before the Olympics there during the 80's.

 

[Juvat]

Great posts guys. It's amazing to see the breadth of experience on this forum. Thanks for the explanations about laser wavelengths and the difficulties in protecting against a wide spectrum of laser threats.

 

[Tim47SIP]

We were issued "notch 3" laser protection glasses. They work with a variety of wave lengths known as lambdas 1, 2, and 3. The are about 1/8" thick and dark brown in color for 1,2, and 3. The "notch 2" is green and offers less protection than the brown lenses with only 2 and 3. Both are somewhat dark to look through even on a bright day. I couldnt wear them. They are HGU-56P Laser Glasses by AO American Optical. There is a warning that they do not replace "laboratory laser protection goggles". Now, just what to do at night! They wont let me fly the 70 with NVG's.

 

[UALjan15]

Opsec

If we are going towards an eyeglass-style protection program, it is crucial that we keep the details OFF of public forums such as this one. The glasses will inevitably be a compromise between vision and the spectrum of the most likely laser threats. The above post doesn't address current protection glasses, but the information is exactly the type that the enemy needs to tailor their threat to our weaknesses. And if you don't think they would bother reading this forum, you don't know much about them.

Moderators, take note, and please don't hesitate to pull a post if it releases any details of a planned protection scheme. Thanks.

 

[FliptheDuck]

I have a question about these lasers for you military guys. Don't alot of rocket and missile launchers have laser sights on them? If so we could be dealing with a much more serious problem in the near future. I think these guys might be just warming up.

Most of the surface to air missile systems out there (US & non-US) are either radar or infrared based. Most of those have sophisticated high-power television optics to guide the missiles in the absence of a radar tracking solution. A few do employ a laser range finder, but the lrf is an aircraft skin tracker (probably not strong enough to damage the eye). The systems that employ these lrf's are not exactly portable, nor inconspicuous. I doubt one of them is the source of this latest incident.

 

[Tim47SIP]

Old Info!

Moderators, take note, and please don't hesitate to pull a post if it releases any details of a planned protection scheme. Thanks.12-31-2004 10:12

Go into the local Home Depot and check out a pair of their laser protection goggles hanging on the wall. You will get more info on those than on my post.

This is really old unclassified info. I do agree with your intent though.