Abstract: An arrangement for reducing non-symmetrical, thermally induced strains in a gun tube (12) comprising a heat pipe jacket (18) in thermal engagement with the gun tube to provide both high radial and circumferential thermal conductance from the tube.

Abstract: An improved laser cooling system for high repetition rate lasers in which a flashlamp is cooled by conducting the heat generated in the lamp directly to a holder which is a solid thermal conductor formed by the structure of the pump cavity and in turn to a heat sink without using flowing gas or liquid in the cavity or space surrounding the flashlamp. The flashlamp is fixedly mounted on the holder with a gap or space therebetween. A thin layer of barium sulfate powder or any other suitable material (which can physically conform to the outside surface of the flashlamp envelope while providing adequate thermal conductivity between the flashlamp and the holder, and adequate optical reflectivity) is then packed in the gap between the flashlamp envelope and the holder in order to reflect light efficiently and to provide a good thermal contact between the holder and the flashlamp.

Abstract: An improved laser illuminator for target designation, such as for a target-seeking missile or object in flight or from a tracking target station, that simultaneously provides output pulses of high peak power at a low pulse repetition rate to meet the maximum range requirements of the designation or tracking system and provides output pulses of low peak power at a high pulse repetition rate to provide the high tracking error signal information rates needed at close ranges. The illuminator operates either for active or semi-active guidance of a missile to a target or for tracking an object or target from any suitable station in either an active or semi-active mode. In one arrangement in accordance with the invention, a laser oscillator is controlled in series with an amplifier arrangement to selectively provide the high power and the low power pulses which are transmitted as a common pulse train.