The Common Opto-electronic Laser Detection System (COLDS) has been developed since the early 1980s by the now Defense and Civil Systems Division of DaimlerChrysler Aerospace to provide a reliable EMI/ EMC-resistant multispectral laser warning system for naval platforms.

In this application it has been trialled by Canada, Finland, Germany, UK and the USA.

In 1991, a new version of COLDS was evaluated by the then United States Tank Automotive Command.

Tracor Aerospace, Daimler-Benz AG's US licensee was awarded a contract by the now Lockheed Martin Vought Systems (at that time LTV), to supply an upgraded version of COLDS which is to be tested by the US Army as part of the Vehicle Integrated Defense System (qv later this section).

The chief features of COLDS are fibre optic coupled heads; multiple wavelength coverage; pulse-width discrimination; pulse repetition frequency measurement and pulse code interval and optical built-in test equipment.

The improved version of COLDS will have an expanded frequency coverage allowing it to detect carbon dioxide laser range-finders (operating at 10.6 urn) such as those fitted to the latest Challenger 2 and M1A1 series MBTs. Earlier versions had a lower limit of 1.9 ftm which is suitable for ruby and Nd: YAG laser range-finders and designators.

As of mid-1999 there was no known production of COLDS in a land systems environment.

In production for naval applications. Under evaluation for land system applications.