Abstract: In an integrated gimbal and High-Powered Multiband Laser (HPMBL) for use in an infrared countermeasure apparatus in a pod mounted on an aircraft, the improvement comprises an optical bench that connects the optical path between side-by-side mounted gimbal and high power laser; and a kinematic mounting system that prevents optical bench bending.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a coaxially arranged, off-axis optical system for a sighting device or aiming device. It is the object of the invention to provide a possibility for constructing an optical system in such a way that the typical disadvantage with respect to the tightness of a sighting device in an open-type construction is overcome and a good flattening of the image field is achieved in addition to the high optical imaging quality of the aiming mark. According to the invention, by means of a coaxially arranged, off-axis optical system for a sighting device or aiming device comprising a lens group, wherein the lens facing the target object is constructed as a converging meniscus and the lens facing the eye is constructed as a diverging meniscus, with a dichroic reflector and an embodiment for the aiming mark, the above-stated object is met in that a correction lens with positive refractive power is arranged at a distance of less than 0.

Abstract: A combination sight comprises a magnifying optical sight and a non-magnifying optical sight arranged in parallel. The combination sight is characterized in a switchable component capable of assuming two states so as to deflect a beam path through the combination sight, wherein the first state allows for a user to observe a target through the non-magnifying sight and the second state allows for a user to observe a target through the magnifying sight while keeping an aiming eye static.

Abstract: The invention relates to a combined telescope and telemeter device comprising a telescopic sight (1) having a housing (2), one end of which receives an objective lens (3) while the other end receives an eyepiece (4), said housing defining a beam path (5) between the objective lens and the eyepiece. The device also includes an opto-electronic telemeter (12) with emitter-receiver optics (14) for optical measuring beams (15) and evaluation electronics (24) for timing the interval between an emitted measuring beam and a received measuring beam and for determining the distance on the basis thereof.

Abstract: A system that automatically aligns and stabilizes off-gimbal electro-optical passive and active sensors of an electro-optical system. The alignment and stabilization system dynamically boresights and aligns one or more sensor input beams and an output beam of a laser using automatic closed loop feedback, a reference detector and stabilization mirror disposed on a gimbal, off-gimbal optical-reference sources and two alignment mirrors. Aligning the one or more sensors and laser to the on-gimbal reference detector is equivalent to having the sensors and laser mounted on the stabilized gimbal with the stabilization mirror providing a common optical path for enhanced stabilization of both the sensor and laser lines of sight.

Abstract: Apparatus operable in accordance with the method of the present invention for measuring the angle of incidence of a light beam or plane relative to level comprises a photodetector array for sensing the light and a level mirror preferably comprising a pool of mercury. Optics are provided for transmitting the light to the photodetector array in alignment with the angle of incidence of the light (aligned light) and also after the light has been reflected from the mercury pool (reflected light). A shutter is provided for separating aligned light from reflected light such that distinct signals representative of the two are generated by the photodetector array. The distinct signals are processed by up-counting and down-counting a counter circuit to determine the average centers of light spots representative of the aligned light and the reflected light and the distance between those average centers which is representative of the deviation of the light beam or plane from level.

Abstract: A sight such as a gunsight for a helicopter comprises a movable assembly including a reticle generator and a single optical component which is both semireflecting and capable of collimating the image of the reticle. The movable assembly is driven by drive means under servo control to superpose the image of the reticle at an aiming point on a landscape. The aiming point may be computed to make corrections for the behaviour of a ballistic weapon. The single optical component may comprise a hologram physically in the shape of a portion of a surface of a sphere, but acting optically like a portion of the surface of a paraboloid. The optical component may be fixed to the reticle generator by mechanical fixing means which mask the field of view around the optical component very little.

Abstract: A display unit for a head up display wherein the combiner (11), which serves to reflect light from a display surface (14) towards an observer to provide the observer with an image of the display superimposed on his view through the combiner, comprises first and second tuned reflective coatings (25c and 27c) disposed in such angular relationship with one another and the display surface that narrow waveband light from the display surface reaches the observer after being successively transmitted through the first coating, reflected at the second coating, reflected at the first coating and transmitted through the second coating.

Abstract: A sighting lens has a refraction displacement of the image such that upon selected positioning of the lens on a weapon, such as an archery bow, and using a reference point therewith, a novel sighting procedure for hunting animals can be used which comprises aiming a selected distance below the image of the animal as it appears in the lens. Prisms are included to correct the line of sight which may not be true because of offset mounting of the sighting device. Increments of distance are provided on the lens for assisting the archer in aiming at a distance which is beyond normal shooting limits of that particular sight.