Optimal Exploitation of 3D Electro-Optic Identification Sensors for Mine Countermeasures

Abstract

The overall goal of this project is to utilize existing assets to address issues critical to the operational deployment of advanced electro-optic identification (EOID) mine countermeasure (MCM) sensors. EO identification of mines is specified as a requirement for the next generation of Navy MCM systems (e.g., AQS-20(X) and RMS). With maturing sensor technology like the Areté developed Streak Tube Imaging Lidar (STIL), a concerted effort is being undertaken to evaluate optimal sensor performance, predict sensor performance with advanced imaging models, and to make this EO sensor capability available to the fleet. OBJECTIVES This two-year collaborative effort, including teams from Areté Associates, Coastal Systems Station (NAVSEA/CSS), Metron Inc., Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman, will utilize existing sensor and sensor model assets to address issues critical to the operational deployment of subsurface EOID sensors. Under this task, Areté will integrate and field an existing STIL sensor for multiple at-sea experimental collections. STIL collected image data sets, as well as data sets from other participating sensors, will be analyzed and compared to each other and with data sets from previous collections. Actual data sets will then be compared with modeled results for a significant number of targets, backgrounds, and operationally relevant environmental conditions.