Multispectral covert target marker

A multispectral target marker comprising:

• a canister containing an organic acid smoking-producing pyrotechnic composition which produces visible smoke but does not emit visible light, said canister having an exterior surface coated with a material to enhance the exterior surface's emissivity such that the exterior surface of the canister has an emissivity in the range from 0.8 to 1.0;
• a plurality of near infrared emitting photodiodes embedded within a hardened polymeric material which is transparent to near infrared emissions, said polymeric material being shaped in the form of a thick disk, said photodiodes emitting light having a wavelength in the range from 0.4 microns to 1 microns;
• a quantity of radar chaff sized to attenuate radar emissions in the region from 5 to 50 gigahertz;
• an explosive charge for dispersing the radar chaff;
• and
• a delivery vehicle for transporting the canister, near infrared emitting photodiodes, and radar chaff to a desired target.

A hand-fired, rocket-propelled covert target marker comprising:

• a tubular target marker canister;
• a solid propellant charge located at the aft end of the target marker canister;
• near infrared emitting photodiodes embedded within a hardened polymeric material which is transparent to near infrared emissions, said photodiodes emitting light having a wavelength in the range from 0.4 microns to 1 microns, said photodiodes being located within the target marker canister;
• a parachute tethered to the photodiodes;
• a pyrotechnic expulsion charge for expelling the photodiodes and the parachute from the target marker canister;
• and
• a hand-held rocket launcher for launching the target marker.