Discrimination Sensor Prototype Development

Abstract

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Discrimination Sensor Prototype Development (DSPD) project builds off of the technology developed and demonstrated in the Discrimination Sensor Technology (DST) PE (0603177C). Areas of concentration include advanced detectors, infrared sensors, and algorithms for ground, sea, air and space systems. The DSPD project pursues a cost-effective incremental upgrade philosophy that demonstrates precision track at extended ranges, simple scene discrimination and then complex scene discrimination. This project develops a compact high-precision advanced sensor to improve identifying, acquiring, tracking and discriminating incoming Ballistic Missile threats, specifically addressing U.S. Strategic Command's Prioritized Capabilities List requirements. DSPD enhances the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) capability to discriminate lethal objects in a threat cluster, and track and handover the threat object with engage on remote precision. In FY 2016, the DST PE (0603177C) funds the demonstration of Aegis Launch-on-Remote (LoR) real time stereo tracking with Multi-Spectral Targeting System Cs (MTS-Cs). Aegis LoR is the capability that allows Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) to launch an interceptor before its own radar acquires the threat. Aegis BMD LoR involves Command, Control, Battle Management and Communications (C2BMC) providing information about the paths (called tracks) of ballistic missile threats, to Aegis BMD from forward based radars. It expands the space where the system can intercept the threat and the defended area. The DSPD project uses the results from the DST test and takes the next step to prove Aegis Engage-on-Remote (EoR) capability. EoR engagement allows the use of active and passive off board sensor information to launch and guide the Standard Missile - 3 (SM-3) Block IIA missile to final intercept. The increased kinematic envelope of the SM-3 Block IIA when combined with EoR will expand the battlespace and increase the number of threats engaged over previous baselines. The MDA collaborates with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, the United States Navy and the United States Air Force in a systems engineering based strategy to develop, test and evaluate DSPD. In FY 2016, the MDA will begin development of a next-generation ruggedized airborne processor and a next-generation advanced sensor. These next-generation prototypes operate at the strategic ranges required to augment BMDS radar, improve the BMDS discrimination capability and provide precision track of large raids. These advanced sensor systems have the capacity to track multiple targets simultaneously, substantially reducing the number of sensor assets required for large raids. This project funds the development and integration of both a mid-range advanced sensor and a long range advanced sensor that functions at operationally representative ranges. The advanced sensors will be integrated onto Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and tested in an operationally relevant environment. These incremental demonstrations are planned in 4Q FY 2016 for the mid-range advanced sensor and 1Q FY 2018 for the long-range advanced sensor. The MDA will also partner with the National Laboratories, Industry and the Services to develop concepts for the cost effective integration of the sensor technology successfully demonstrated under the DST PE into limited fielding upgrade kits. The concept information will inform further development and/or limited fielding decisions for the MDA.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2016
• Source ID: MD99_0604115C_4_0400_PB_2016

Tags

Readers

• Military Science and Technology Research and Modernization.
• Missile Defense Systems.
• Sensor Fusion and Tracking Systems.

Technology Areas

• Autonomy
• Autonomy - UAVs
• Space
• Space - Space Objects