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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SUBJECT SW SWRC

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AND WEAPONS REVIEW CABLE,EPTEHBER0

ll*V LAS" 0 US PORCES IN THE PERSIAN

I RANGE FINDERS ON IRAQI TANKS POSE THE PRIMARY

CES IN THE GULF ITARGET DESIGNATORS MAY ALSOHREAT WE JUDGE IT UNUKEU

THAT IRAQ HAS EDICATED LASER BLINDING

X. IRAQ: THE LASER HAZARD TO US FORCES IN THE PERSIAN GULF il<ffM|:

COMMENT I

WE ASSESS THAT*

XTHE PRIMARY EYE HAZARD FROM IRAQI FORCES EXISTS FROM THEIR TANK LRFS! AIRBORNE LTDS MAY ALSO POSEHREAT. IN THE EVENT OF HOSTILITIES. US GROUND FORCES WILL BE THE MOST VULNERABLE. AIRCREWS OF 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 UNLIKELY THAT US SAILORS OR AIRCREWS OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE AIRCRAFT WILL BE EXPOSED TO HAZARDOUS LEVELS OF LASER RADIATION FROM IRAQI LRFS OR LTDS.

X IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THE IRAQIS HAVE ACQUIRED OREDICATED LASER BLINDING WEAPON. jljBRik-HMRf-M

TANK

IRAQI TANK LRFS MAY PRESENT AN EYE HAZARD TO UNPROTECTED US SOLDIERS. ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE LOOKINGAGNIFYING OPTIC SUCH9ONER BINOCULARS. SINCE MOST IRAQI GROUND-BASED LRFS ARE INCORPORATED INTO TANKS. THE HOST LIKELY TARGETS TO BE IRRADIATED IN BATTLE HILL BE US ARMOR ANDTNLIKELY THAT FIXED-HING. HICH-PERFORMANCE US AIRCRAFT HILL BE IRRADIATED BY THESE LRFS,

/MMM BEGINNING OF SECTION

SURFACETHAT THE LIKELIHOOD OFERSON IS LOW.

X THE LTDS WILL BE AIMED AT GROUND OR SEA TARGETS ONLY. THUS. US AIRCREWS SHOULD NDT BE AT RISK.

X -- IN THE IRAN-IRAQ WAR THE IRAQIS EMPHASIZED AIRCRAFT SURVIVABILITY IN COMBAT MISSIONS. THEY PROBABLY WTLL.FOLLOW THE SAME DOCTRINE AGAINST US FORCES AND THUS WILL ATTEMPT TO MAXIMIZE THEIR STANDOFF RANGE TOCH) WHEN DELIVERING LGMS. THUS. WE BELIEVE IT IS UNLIKELY THAT US FORCES AT OR HEAR THE DESIGNATED TARGETS WILL BE EXPOSEDAZARDOUS LEVEL OF LASER RADIATION. '

THE EYE THREAT FRON IRAQI LASER WEAPONS

WE REMAIN UNCONVINCED THAT THE IRAQIS HAVE FIELDEDIE' PUN DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO BLIND

ffOP GCBRPT

XOLUNI

EASILY HEA.PQNT, 7FP. AND FIELDED AND COULD HAVE CAUSED THE REPORTED THOUSANDS OF IRANIAN EYE CASUALTIES.

PAstnssi

Original document.

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