A Multi-Spectral Sensor for Missile Threat Warning

Solid State Scientific Corporation is pleased to propose a Phase II program to enhance the state of current missile threat warning systems. A new algorithm concept using up to four MWIR color bands will be explored for identifying and declaring threats approaching threats while rejecting stationary or receding targets as clutter. The band pass of the four narrow-band filters in the MWIR will be selected to reduce false alarm rates and enhance the current two-color ratio test for clutter rejection by adding the additional capability to quickly determine the relative direction of range motion of potential threats. In addition, a unique spectral imaging sensor prototype for enhanced missile threat warning will be developed. This Phase II approach will capitalize on the design concepts created during the Phase I effort. The novel spectral imager will operate in the MWIR, have a 90º field of view, and use a 512'512 staring camera to capture four different 256'256 spectral images of the same scene at rates up to 200 Hz. All four images will be spatially identical but with different spectral filters to pass four narrow MWIR bands selected specifically to address missile threat warning. The sensor system represents a fully-integrated, portable sensor that will measure, display, store, and analyze spectral data. Development of this sensor represents a unique opportunity in spectral sensing and imaging.