Improved Missile Launch Detection Techniques ( IMLD )

The Improved Missile Launch Detection program addresses the lack of an affordable missile launch detection (MLD) that can detect missiles at their maximum launch ranges in high clutter with a high probability of declaration and a low false alarm rate. Defense Research Associates (DRA) has developed a small target detection algorithm based on motion of the target relative to the background. The algorithm, called Passive Moving Target Detection (PMTD), is ideal for detecting missiles from aircraft; the algorithm was developed for that purpose through the SBIR program. DRA, working with AFRL/SN, has obtained $4.3M in outside funding to use this algorithm for the detection of nearby air traffic by unmanned air vehicles (UAVs). The algorithm was originally developed to improve the performance of MLDs and DRA demonstrated its effectiveness in that context. Since that time, several theoretical advances have been made in the mathematical underpinnings of PMTD, especially in terms of reducing computational complexity. DRA proposes to optimize the PMTD algorithm and integrate it with an existing developmental warning system that uses affordable silicon detectors.