Shared aperture non-mechanical beam steering for FLIR/3D SWIR LADAR

ABSTRACT: A SWIR 3D imaging LADAR architecture is proposed in which it shares the aperture with a FLIR sensor. To enable this combined passive and active sensor system, wide angle non-mechanical beam steering (NMBS) would be implemented at the exit window of the gimbal. Due to the large steering angles the SWIR LADAR is not constrained to the FOV of the passive MWIR sensor, freeing it from the constraints of the direction in which the gimbal is pointing. For Phase I Boulder Nonlinear Systems (BNS) and our teaming partners, ImagineOptix, and Exciting Technology, propose to investigate methods to steer SWIR laser light while not affecting MWIR throughput. In addition, a design will be performed for a SWIR 3D imaging LADAR system incorporating wide angle NMBS which will be intended to share an aperture with a passive MWIR sensor. The LADAR system will be prototyped in Phase II. With this approach we expect to enhance the target identification and imaging capability of the sensor system. BENEFIT: The effort proposed here represents an improvement to 3D LADAR imaging and passive and active IR sensors. Several DoD platforms could benefit from the shared aperture approach. In addition commercial 3D mapping would benefit from increased field of view and multispectral capability.