SCIENCE AND WEAPONS REVIEW CABLE, SW SWRC (DELETED) 28 SEPTEMBER 1990

Created: 9/29/1990

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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RUEATAC/CDRUSAITAC WASHINGTON DC//KT//

RHEPAAB/TACHS LANGLEY AFB VA//IDHS//

PUSNNOA/USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ2//

RUFTAKA/USA INTEL CENTER HEIDELBERG GE

RUFTAKC/UDITDUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE

RHDLCNE/CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON

RHFPRWO/RWO RAMSTEIN AB GE//IN/IV/SP//

RUDOGHA/USNMR SHAPE BE//SURVEY//

RUEAIGX/SAFE

RUEADDS/DITDS

RZ SEP 90

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TO RUEHC/DEPT OF STATE//INR AND PASSTAFF RHEBAAA/DOEHQ

RUMJHTA/WHITESANDS MISSILE RANGE RHEGLLL/USDOE IV/KEEP AND PASSTA RUEHDC/DEPT OF CQMMERCE//KEEP AND PASS NBS RUEANAT/NASA

RUEKJCS/SECRETARY OF DEFENSE RUEKJCS/DIA RUETIAA/DIRNSA RUEOAYC/USAFSTC

RUCIAEA/FTD KPAFB OH//TQT/NIIS//TQFEIVNE YUHA AZ BT

I OFITE

SUBJECT: SCIENCE AND WEAPONS REVIEW CABLE, - SWRC EPTEMBER0

X

IRAQ: THE LASER HAZARD TO US FORCES IN THE PERSIAN

THIS- OMBINED MESSAGE

GULF

IRANGEF1NDERS DN IRAQI TANKSE THE KAR EYE HAZARD TO US FORCES IN THE GULF; TARGET DESIGNATORS MAY ALSO BE A THREAT. PRESENTLY AVAILABLE, NE JUDGE IT IRAQ HASEDICATED LASER

RAQI THE LASER HAZARD TO US FORCES IN THE

HE ASSESS THAT:

X -- THE PRIMARY EYE HAZARD FROM IRAQI FORCES EXISTS FROM .HEIR TANK LRFS; AIRBORNE LTDS MAY ALSO POSE A THREAT. IN THE EVENT OF HOSTILITIES. US GROUND FORCES KILL BE THE C*EKS 0F HELICOPTERS ALSO MAY BE VULNERABLE IF IRAQI TANK CREWS USE LRFS TO ENGAGE THE HELICOPTERS WITH THEIR MAIN GUN, AS MANY ARMIES TRAIN TO DO. IT IS UNLIKELYDPS AIRCREWS OF HIGH-PERFORMAHCE AIRCRAFT WILL BE EXPOSED TO HAZARDOUS LEVELS OF LASER RADIATION FROM IRAQI LRFS ORDS

X IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THE IRAQIS HAVE ACQUIRED OREDICATED LASER BLINDINI

IRAQI TANK IRFS HAY PRESENT AN EYE HAZARD TO UNPROTECTED US SOLDIERS, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE LOOKINGAGNIFYING OPTIC SUCH9OWER BINOCULARS. SINCE MOST IRAQI GROUND-BASED LRFS ARE INCORPORATED INTO TANKS, THE MOST LIKELY TARGETS TO BE IRRADIATED IN BATTLE WILL BE US ARMOR AND INFANTRY. IT IS UNLIKELY THAT FIXED-WING, HIGH-PERFORMANCE US AIRCRAFT WILL BE IRRADIATED BY THESE TANK LRFS. VHHaaHaaaaM

IECAUSE OF THE EMPLOYMENT DOCTRINE HE MOULD EXPECT FOR IS IN THE IRAQI INVENTORY, HE ASSESS THAT THEYILL NOT IGNIFICANT EYE HAZARD TO US- THE EYE HAZARDS DESCRIBED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE BASED ON EXPOSURE TO A SINGLE LASER PULSE.

X MANY OF THE TARGETS FOR IRAQI LASER-GUIDED MUNITIONS (LGKS) UILL BE OF HIGH VALUE AND AS BRIDGES OR SURFACE THAT THE LIKELIHOOD OF ERSON IS LOU.

X THE LTDS MILL BE AIMED AT GROUND OR SEA TARGETS ONLY, THUS, US AIRCREWS SHOULD NOT BE AT RISK.

X IN THE IRAN-IRAQ UAR THE IRAQIS EMPHASIZED AIRCRAFT SURVIVABILITY IN COMBAT MISSIONS. THEV PROBABLY HILL FOLLOW THE SAME DOCTRINE AGAINST US FORCES AND THUS HILL ATTEMPT TO MAXIMIZE THEIR STAHDOFF RANGE TO M) WHEN DELIVERING LGMS. THUS. HE BELIEVE IT IS UNLIKELY THAT US FORCES AT OR NEAR THE DESIGNATED TARGETS WILL BE EXPOSEDAZARDOUS LEVEL OF LASER RADIATION.

THE EYE THREAT FROM IRAQI LASER HFAPflNft

WE REMAIN UNCONVINCED THAT THE IRAQIS HAVE FIELDEDEDICATED LASTP UN. DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO BLIND ENEMY SOLDIERS. kWft

THE LASERS KNOWN TO BE AVAILABLE TO OR OBTAINED BY THE

REPORTED THOUSANDS OF IRANIAN EYE CASUALTIES.

PcssiBLf thai ihe' TH0UGH IT Is

LASER FOR USE AS DEVF^PEP OR MODIFIEDA DEDICATED LASER BlINDTNK, WEAPON.

Original document.

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