Advanced Airborne Optical Sensing
Abstract
(U) The Advanced Airborne Optical Sensing program develops electro-optical and infrared sensors and surveillance for aerial platforms. Significant challenges arise as the result of two warfighting trends. First, the ever-changing mix of airborne platforms now includes a greater number of smaller UAVs. Second, the target set is increasingly challenging and now includes vehicles and individual dismounts that operate under foliage and in urban canyons, using camouflage, obscurants, and other means of concealment. In response to these challenges, the Advanced Airborne Optical Sensing program brings recent advances in optical, electro-optical, photonic and other technologies to airborne optical sensing systems. Specific examples of these technologies include: embedded image processors tailored to real-time detection, identification, and tracking of military targets; hyper-spectral sensing technologies; flash detection, and underwater object detection; advanced laser radar technologies; advanced digital signal processing to support onboard image reconstruction, atmospheric correction, and system calibration; video exploitation techniques, including new approaches to scene understanding and activity detection; and adaptive optics techniques, such as deformable mirrors and liquid crystal spatial light modulators. The program extends these technologies and makes them practical for airborne surveillance systems. Efforts in this program include: • The Standoff Precision ID in 3-D (SPI 3-D) program is developing an affordable sensor package capable of high-resolution 3-D images for confirmatory target ID at long ranges as well as full field of view (FOV) ranging to support precise geolocation of targets. The system provides intensity, range and polarization information for each pixel in the field of view with each laser pulse. The program includes a series of ground-based and airborne demonstrations of SPI 3-D precision ID capabilities and track fusion techniques. The objectives are to provide: (1) high range resolution 3-D imaging; (2) full FOV range to pixel determination; (3) multiple frame-to-frame registration of imagery, and (4) GPS-based cueing from search systems. Results will provide commanders with significantly improved long-range identification of enemy ground targets, as well as targeting information to support guided weaponry. The SPI 3-D system employs optics, focal plane arrays, and gimbals combined with a range measurement technique. SPI 3-D technologies are being designed to be compatible with operational ISR systems and may be installed in a joint-service ISR pod (such as LITENING) or a Class IV UAV (Predator, Firescout & Warrior) Multi-spectral Targeting System (MTS) turret. A manned airborne demonstration of SPI-3D components in an ISR pod will be performed to illustrate SPI-3D capabilities. Subsequent to the manned airborne demonstration, transition will be to the U.S. Air Force at the conclusion of Phase III. The program will produce high speed, ultra sensitive photodetectors for systems requiring operation at very low photon counts. This will support long range sensors that can detect highly obscured targets under canopy/camouflage as well as very wide-area search for submerged targets including sea mines and semi-submerged mobile vessels. Video and 3-D imaging through obscurants (VITO) will enable robust under-canopy, high-resolution real-time 3-D video and imagery and for target detection, identification, and tracking based on real-time Volumetric Change Detection (VCD) or Volumetric Moving Target Indication (VMTI). VITO will employ high speed, ultra sensitive photo-detectors and selective range gate processing to permit improved viewing under obscurations. The system will operate at altitudes and standoff ranges compatible with manned and unmanned aircraft. • Spatially Processed Image Detection and Ranging (SPIDAR) is a coherent imaging method that allows one to form a large, effective optical aperture from a set of smaller, lighter telescopes providing for very high-resolution 3-D and 2-D ladar imagery of distant targets with a compact system configuration. This capability is very well suited for long-range engagements from airborne or space-based platforms and could significantly enhance the current synthetic aperture imaging approaches by providing the desired cross-range resolution along the axis perpendicular to the direction of travel. This capability is also applicable on a small scale to provide very-high resolution imagery in a compact and potentially man-portable configuration for long-range ID. The gain in size, weight and power over more conventional lidar implementations will be assessed and demonstrated. Additionally, suitable missions and platforms for the technology will be identified. SPIDAR technologies will be transitioned to the U.S. Air Force in FY 2013. • The Tactical Aircraft to Increase Long Wave Infrared Nighttime Detection (TAILWIND) program will develop and demonstrate a system for collecting and processing IR data operating as a framing sensor. The system will accept long wave infrared and color camera images permitting day/night reconnaissance for real-time target detection and tracking. The resulting sensor and processing system will provide an order of magnitude increase in the combination of area coverage over current systems, and a decrease in time to focus the sensor operator’s attention on relevant targets. The TAILWIND system is planned for transition to the U.S. Army by FY 2012.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2011
- Source ID
- e9126628bdae935b45ef4964f78d3b0b
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- Root: SENSOR TECHNOLOGY