Optical Correlation Seeker,

Abstract

A 'super-smart weapon' which outperforms our smart weapons just going into the field, yet is much cheaper than those current systems? It sounds like the answer to the Army's prayer for a method to cope with a dramatically increasing threat. We think we have demonstrated the key ingredients of such a system, through the marriage of a long-term fundamental effort at the Missile Command, significant industrial developments, and recognition of how this developing technology can pay off for the Army. Through the application of some recent existing developments in optical data processing, we can now propose to build a seeker which recognizes a tank by its image, homes on it, and destroys it. The seeker autonomously detects and locks on the target, provides guidance signals, reacquires if the target is lost, and retargets if necessary. The sensor will fit in a submissile, weigh under a pound, consume less than a watt of power, and possibly even cost under $100!

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1980
Accession Number
ADA090376

Entities

People

  • Charles R. Christensen
  • Richard L. Hartman

Organizations

  • United States Army Aviation and Missile Command

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Sensors
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Computers
  • Correlators
  • Cross Correlation
  • Data Processing
  • Detectors
  • Focal Planes
  • Gas Lasers
  • Guidance
  • Helium Neon Lasers
  • Laser Diodes
  • Lasers
  • Light Sources
  • Matched Filters
  • Navigation
  • Optical Correlators
  • Orientation (Direction)
  • Precision-Guided Munitions

Readers

  • Educational Psychology
  • Missile Defense Systems.
  • Robotics and Automation.