Optronics : applications

The term "optronics" was coined shortly after the Second World War to designate equipment based on optical and electronic components, which, when integrated with radar, developed very rapidly in weapons systems. The introduction of optronics into military systems has considerably altered their operational performance, improving observation and detection capabilities compared with human vision (night vision, target recognition and identification, etc.), facilitating vehicle movement, and reducing inaccuracies in fire control and weapon guidance (so-called "surgical" precision). These topics are covered in 1 .

A second application of optronics is in the fields of space and astronomy, where similar instruments are used (§ 2 ). Astronomy is a long-standing user of optics, but is undergoing a revolution thanks to technological advances in this discipline and the replacement of photographic plates by electro-optical detectors. These two fields have been the source of major scientific discoveries and, in the case of space, of concrete information from Earth observation satellites.

The defense, space and astronomy industries are characterized by fairly complex optronic equipment, produced in relatively small quantities and calling on a wide range of skills, resulting in products whose high cost is due to the use of the following techniques:

• specific optics (infrared, large dimensions, severe environmental conditions, etc.);

• gyroscopic line-of-sight stabilizers ;

• precision micromechanics combined with servo-controls ;

• specific imaging techniques ;

• image processing, automatic tracking ;

• laser techniques...

Far from being confined to these specialized fields, optronics began to spread...