Abstract: A solid nose cone and related components are disclosed. Embodiments include a front-end system for a laser-guided munition. The front-end system includes a solid nose cone that is optically transparent to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) of a particular wavelength. The solid nose cone is configured to pass EMR incident on the exterior surface to the trailing end. An optical relay adapter (ORA) has an EMR-receiving front face and an EMR-emitting rear face. The EMR-receiving front face is optically coupled to the trailing end, and the ORA is configured to relay the EMR from the EMR-receiving front face to the EMR-emitting rear face.

Abstract: An aerodynamic conformal nose cone and scanning mechanism is disclosed. Laser energy, from within a body of a missile, is directed through a solid, optically transparent nose cone. A detector in the body detects reflected laser energy that passes through the solid, optically transparent nose cone.

Abstract: The presently disclosed technique presents laser-based method and apparatus for use in remote sensing. In general, objects within a field of view are lased by a long cavity laser apparatus. Returns are detected, captured, and processed to identify actual objects of interest. These can then be communicated to a user. Over time, the actual objects of interest can be auto-tracked.