By Kari Williamson
The outcome of the programme, Quantitative Analysis of ALON® and Spinel Dome Blanks, could result in a fast and cost effective method for optically characterising dome blanks without having to fabricate them to their final exacting dimensions.
Multimode Seekers are receiving significant attention as a way to provide more capability in the same package. The optical requirements alone place a heavy burden on the design and production of the dome as the associated tolerances are very tight, making these domes very challenging and expensive to produce.
The processes developed during the new Army SBIR could lead to more affordable Multimode Seeker Domes without sacrificing precision and performance, Surmet says.
