Compact High Spatial Resolution Airborne Optical System

The Navy relies on airborne Electro-Optical / Infrared (EOIR) ISR platforms for detecting, classifying, and identifying targets and threats. For a given range to target, large apertures yield higher resolution and small apertures yield lower resolution. The downside is that large apertures are costly, heavy, and less aerodynamic. Integrity Applications Incorporated (IAI) proposes to investigate and demonstrate an airborne tactical design that delivers resolution greater than four times the size of the imaging aperture. This design is based on a revolutionary capability recently demonstrated and submitted for a patent by IAI. The design is superior to others because it is less complex, delivers a larger field of view, and derives MOCOMP data directly from the collected imagery data. In the proposed effort, we will develop and demonstrate a visible waveband, compact synthetic aperture imaging system. We will modify our current demonstration system to have flight-like geometry, demonstrate utility on complex targets and scenes, determine the limitations beyond four times the traditional resolution, and deliver a report that investigates retrofitting our system into common Navy Airborne tactical imaging systems. This will allow Navy airborne platforms to deliver robust intelligence products while maintaining safe and covert stand-off distances.