An adaptive tracker for ShipIR/NTCS

Abstract

A key component in any image-based tracking system is the adaptive tracking algorithm used to segment the image into potential targets, rank-and-select the best candidate target, and the gating of the selected target to further improve tracker performance. This paper will describe a new adaptive tracker algorithm added to the naval threat countermeasure simulator (NTCS) of the NATO-standard ship signature model (ShipIR). The new adaptive tracking algorithm is an optional feature used with any of the existing internal NTCS or user-defined seeker algorithms (e.g., binary centroid, intensity centroid, and threshold intensity centroid). The algorithm segments the detected pixels into clusters, and the smallest set of clusters that meet the detection criterion is obtained by using a knapsack algorithm to identify the set of clusters that should not be used. The rectangular area containing the chosen clusters defines an inner boundary, from which a weighted centroid is calculated as the aim-point. A track-gate is then positioned around the clusters, taking into account the rate of change of the bounding area and compensating for any gimbal displacement. A sequence of scenarios is used to test the new tracking algorithm on a generic unclassified DDG ShipIR model, with and without flares, and demonstrate how some of the key seeker signals are impacted by both the ship and flare intrinsic signatures.

Sensitivity of infrared ship signature analysis to climatic data sampling methods

“…Involvement in a recent NATO Systems Concepts and Integration (SCI) Task Group on EO and IR Countermeasures against Anti-ship Missiles (SCI-224) has resulted in significant improvements to the seeker and countermeasure capabilities of the software. The development of a new adaptive track gate algorithm and a new 3D flare particle model have already been presented at previous SPIE Defence and Security Proceedings ( [11], [12], [13]). A sample screen from the current production release of ShipIR/NTCS (v4.2) is shown in Figure 13.…”

Validation of ShipIR (v4.2)

“…Involvement in a recent NATO Systems Concepts and Integration (SCI) Task Group on EO and IR Countermeasures against Anti-ship Missiles (SCI-224) has resulted in significant improvements to the seeker and countermeasure capabilities of the software. The development of a new adaptive track gate algorithm and a new 3D flare particle model have already been presented at previous SPIE Defence and Security Proceedings ( [11], [12], [13]). A sample screen from the current production release of ShipIR/NTCS (v4.2) is shown in Figure 2.…”