Laser Dazzler – Laser Active Countermeasures

The Chinese opted to equip their new Type 98 with a different countermeasure suite, based mainly on defeating ATGM, by the use of directed high power laser. A typical is the JD-3 “Dazzler” system comprises of laser warning devices, a dome shaped sensor installed on the turret’s roof-top, and a box shaped Laser Self Defense Weapon (LSDW) which “fires” a laser beam at the illuminating source, either a tank gunner, helicopter or missile launcher. The system employs two modes of operation – the low power mode is used at the general direction of the threat, in a search pattern designed to locate the target’s optics. Once locked on a target, the laser switches to high power mode, to defeat the target by blinding the operator or saturating its electro-optical circuits.