Diode laser radar for low-cost weapon guidance

Robert L. Gustavson; Thomas E. Davis

doi:10.1117/12.59203

1 June 1992 Diode laser radar for low-cost weapon guidance

Robert L. Gustavson, Thomas E. Davis

Proceedings Volume 1633, Laser Radar VII: Advanced Technology for Applications; (1992) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.59203
Event: OE/LASE '92, 1992, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Abstract

Since 1986, the USAF Wright Laboratories, at Eglin Air Force Base has conducted a series of related test programs and technology development activities with the purpose of determining the feasibility of using diode-laser radar systems as sensors for autonomous targeting guided weapons. Schwartz Electro-Optics, working under a USAF contract to develop a diode-laser radar for submunition applications, has developed a real-time (30 Hz frame rate) imaging diode-laser radar system which employs a proprietary algorithm for target recognition and classification. In captive flight testing using a remotely piloted vehicle (RPV), the system has been used to detect, classify, and determine aim-points of targets (tanks, trucks) in a high-clutter environment; false-color range and gray-scale reflectance imagery were displayed in real-time. The testing yielded excellent target acquisition performance. The 42,000 frames of range and reflectance data which were obtained during the testing are being used for further development of the target recognition and classification algorithm. This paper reviews the imaging diode-laser radar development and the captive flight testprogram

Citation Download Citation

Robert L. Gustavson and Thomas E. Davis "Diode laser radar for low-cost weapon guidance", Proc. SPIE 1633, Laser Radar VII: Advanced Technology for Applications, (1 June 1992); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.59203

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