Airborne system for the electrooptical detection, location and omnidirectional tracking of a target

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention proposes an electro-optical detection, location and omnidirectional tracking system having an orientable optical system positioned beneath a dome outside the carrying aircraft fuselage in order to produce an image of the observed field in the sensitive plane of the photodetector.
The optical system includes an input objective lens carried by an orientable arrangement with two degrees of freedom, and means for rotating the objective lens about two perpendicular mechanical shafts so as to orient the optical sighting axis at a center of rotation, and an image offset optical section for retaining the image in the center of the detection plane.
The detector is integral with the aircraft, which also supports the optical system via the orientable arrangement which includes a universal joint having a first circularly (azimuth) oriented frame and a second frame oriented in elevation and supporting the inputs optics.
For an overall circular observation exceeding 90.
degree.
in elevation, the image offset optical section has several deviating mirrors including one input mirror integral with the input objective lens, and one output mirror integral with the second frame.
The input objective lens focuses the received radiation into a plane located on the optical path between the two mirrors.
The optical system also has, downstream of the offset optical section, a second objective lens system for transferring the field image into the detection plane.
According to a preferred embodiment, the second objective lens system has a first lens integral with the second frame and forming an afocal system with the input objective lens in order to reform a parallel beam, and a second lens focusing the light beam.
A dichroic mirror is placed between the two lenses making it possible to create a second optical path for the laser telemetry.
According to one embodiment, the system used in the infrared range is equipped with an optical deflection device (preferably a strip) for producing a linear or circular scan at the detector