Night Vision Dev Ed

Abstract

This project performs Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) on high performance night vision, Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA) systems and other related systems that allow forces to locate and track enemy units in day, night, and all battlefield conditions, and through natural and man-made structures and obscurants. It also develops and integrates suites of these sensors to provide well-defined surveillance and targeting capabilities, as well as architectures for these sensors to communicate automatically. The focus is on meeting the requisite night vision and RSTA capabilities required for evolving Current Force, Modular Force, and Future Force systems. The project will leverage critical technologies from the Advanced Thermal Imaging EMD effort and Combat Vehicle Advanced Sensor Technology (CVAST) to develop a common Improved-Forward Looking Infrared (I-FLIR) B-Kit for integration into US Army FLIR sensor systems including emerging requirements of I-FLIR Army Combat and reconnaissance sensor systems to the Ground Combat Vehicle Infantry Fighting Vehicle (GCV IFV), Abrams, and Bradley. The I-FLIR B-Kit provides Mid Wave Infrared and Long Wave Infrared digital video and the electronic interfaces required to integrate the Next Generation FLIR (NGF) technology with the host platform sensor. This technology enhances the war-fighters' survivability and lethality through increased identification range performance when integrated in current sensor packages, while enabling the detection of difficult or obscured targets and faster threat detection through automated processes. The I-FLIR B-Kit will also be used to enhance mobility by maintaining current range performance in significantly smaller and lighter sensor packages. This project also supports the Army Sensor Computing Environment effort in support of the Common Operating Environment (COE) vision. It focuses on the improving the network interoperability requirement and improving the soldier - machine interface. Resultant improvements would be implemented through upgrades to fielded systems, or informing future programs. The funds allocated to Gunshot Detection supported a System Characterization study and Technology Readiness Level (TRL) determination for potential technical capabilities. The system characterization study will ascertain the performance of industry systems and will enhance Government knowledge of the benefits of various technology types and modalities in determining incoming gunshots. The study will aid the Government in writing the Performance Work Statement (PWS), Performance Specification and the Interface Control Document (ICD) and will enable schedule acceleration. This project also supports development efforts for the I-FLIR B-Kit, to include specification development, integration analysis, milestone and solicitation preparation activities, and continues development and implementation of Block II Electro Optic Counter-Counter Measures (EOCCM). In addition, this project also supports the development of meeting the Army's network interoperability requirements and improving the soldier - machine interface. FY 2014 Base Funding in the amount of $6.669 Million supports I-FLIR B-Kit component and sensor integration assessments, milestone and solicitation preparation activities, and also supports the continued activities associated with meeting network interoperability requirements and improving the soldier - machine interface in support of the Army's vision of the Common Operating Environment (COE).

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2014
• Source ID: L70_0604710A_5_2040_PB_2014

Tags

Fields of Study

• Engineering

Readers

• Military Science and Technology Research and Modernization.
• Sensor Fusion and Tracking Systems.
• Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

• Microelectronics
• Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems