Emerging Research Directions In Air-To-Ground Target Detection And Discrimination

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has embarked on a vaniety of research programs that embrace the insertion of new electro-optical and infrared technology as well as advanced operational concepts to significantly improve capabilities for the detection and discrimination of difficult targets. The AFRL vision employs a distributed, layered sensor system combining passive and active sensors to rapidly detect battlefield threats and support high confidence identification to take immediate action. This paper will provide an overview of this layered sensing vision as well as describe the technology development directions that AFRL is pursumig in support of this advanced concept. The paper will specifically focus on relevant passive infrared technology areas such as spatial, spectral, polarimetric, and temporal sensing (separate and combined). It will also discuss how this technology is envisioned to be applied to the range of operational platforms, from standoff surveillance from large aircraft to close-in sensing from small unmanned aerial vehicles.