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Hyperspectral imaging in the 2-5 um band has held interest for applications in detection and discrimination of targets. Real time instrumentation is particularly powerful as a tool for characterization and field measurement. A compact, realtime, refractive MWIR hyperspectral imaging instrument has been designed and is undergoing integration and test. The system has been designed for cryogenic operation to improve signal to noise ratio, reduce background noise, and enable real-time hyperspectral video processing. Partial testing has been completed on cryogenic elements and "first light" 2-5 µm hyperspectral images have been collected at room temperature. REAL-TIME HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGINGReal-time imaging over broad bands in the electromagnetic spectrum from the ultraviolet (UV) through the infrared (IR) has been a staple in the areas of remote sensing, surveillance, target detection and tracking, search and homing devices, spectrally tailored coating development, nondestructive inspection, and noninvasive diagnosis. Improvements are being made in these techniques all the time, with increased resolution, higher sensitivity, and greater information throughput being the benefit. Instrumentation developed at Surface Optics has been used to distinguish objects based on their spectral signature in a number of applications. These include: revealing camouflaged military targets, friend-foe identification based on subtle coloring of personnel uniforms, and tracking of civilian vehicles based on spectral signature. [1,2] SYSTEM ARCHITECTUREThe goals for a MWIR Hyperspectral Imager (MWIR HSI) under development at Surface Optics include:• Operation over the MWIR spectrum: 2 -5 µm • Real time video data collection and processing: 15 hypercubes/sec • Relatively rich spectrum: 30 bands • Field deployable system