Advanced LADAR Modeling, Generalized Ladar Analysis Model (GLAM)

To counter emerging threats of theater ballistic missiles the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has sponsored the development of the Airborne Laser (ABL) system that will locate and track missiles in the boost phase of their flight, then accurately point and fire a high-energy laser, destroying enemy missiles near their launch areas. For the ABL system to meet the operational requirement of engaging multiple targets over the theater of operation the system must be capable of accurately tracking multiple targets simultaneously. The Active Ranging System (ARS) plays a critical role in achieving this capability by providing quick and accurate measurements of the missiles three-space position and velocity (six state vector) over time (track files). In this effort Areté Associates will develop, verify, and/or improve components of the Areté-developed Generalized Ladar Analysis Model (GLAM), a sophisticated ladar modeling tool which has been used to a great extent in other long-range ladar modeling and hardware development efforts at Areté, including ABL’s ARS. The components that will be developed and/or incorporated into GLAM will include aero-optical and atmospheric propagation models, detector models such as for coherent and direct detection, photon counting, Geiger-mode APDs and other state-of-the-art detectors. These ladar system models will be developed specifically to address the ABL operational scenario to compare the performance of various ladar approaches.