Joint Probability Data Association (JPDA) on Tracking Multiple Munitions Fragments
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to research and apply current technology electronic data acquisition and tracking techniques to conventional munitions live-fire testing. Previously applied high-speed film cameras, celotex bundles, and associated technologies for munitions testing have proven themselves expensive in materials, labor, and time. Such previous test methods cost upwards to $250,000 per test blast and require from days to weeks to manually compile and reduce collected blast data to an analytical format. The specific scope of this study was to research methods to electronically acquire and track the position, velocity, and acceleration of multiple warhead fragments as they dispersed from the test-blast center. Information gained by fragment state variables allows the estimation of each fragment's kinetic energy and therefore lethality. The presented fragment data acquisition system was deemed realizable and practical with existing technologies, although the CCD camera 5000 frame/sec requirement was found difficult to obtain reliably. The initial proposed system hardware cost will be high; however, critical system components (such as cameras) survive the test blast and are continuously reusable to keep over long-term costs down. In addition, the entire data reduction process is reduced from days or weeks to several hours (overnight) on an autonomous EKF/JPDA/RTS computer program. Theses.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA202711
Entities
People
- Ronald J. Beyers
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology