Low-Cost Real-Time IR Scene Generation

This effort provides a physics-based, standardized, portable, low-cost, real-time Infrared (IR) Scene Generator capable of supporting advanced targeting algorithm development efforts being conducted for missile defense programs. The Missile Defense Agencyis sponsoring many programs to develop acquisition, tracking, classification, and discrimination algorithms to target missiles while in flight. Physics-based synthetic scene generators play a critical role for these algorithm development activities byproducing realistic imagery of the missile as it progresses along its flight path. Algorithm researchers utilize scene generators parametrically by varying sensor viewing parameters, engagement kinematics, missile operational conditions, andcountermeasures to establish the accuracy, efficiency, and stability of the algorithm being studied.This innovative concept allows algorithm development and test facilities to generate IR images in real-time by using their own low-cost computational hardware (e.g. single-node PCs or multi-node Beowulf clusters). Standardization ensures consistency ofthe computed solution necessary for validation, regression testing, and site accreditation. Portability allows the scene generator to be linked directly into the algorithm test-bed to provide a seamless ability to generate images on demand. The productfrom this effort will foster ideas and concepts to disable inbound ballistic missiles since it will be available to a wide-array of missile defense researchers. The ability of missile defense organizations to generate their own radiometrically correct infrared scenes of threat missiles in real-time using low-cost computational hardware provides significant benefits to DoD industries that include: 1) capabilitiesto create custom closed-loop digital simulations to support detailed targeting algorithm development studies, 2) capabilities to support hardware-in-the-loop test facilities to thoroughly and efficiently examine the functionality of various flight hardwarethat includes hit-to-kill seeker systems, 3) substantial reductions in facility cost to support real-time IR scene generation, and 4) provisions for a standardized scene generation methodology to allow competing targeting algorithms or flight hardware tobe consistently evaluated.A Low-Cost Real-Time IR Scene Generator would directly benefit the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) since considerable research and development is currently being sponsored to create robust acquisition, typing, tracking, and targeting algorithms to disableinbound ballistic missiles. All of these algorithm development efforts rely on synthetically generated scenes in one form or another to support the various engagement scenarios being considered. Currently, the algorithm developers must either rely onother organizations to generate the necessary imagery or utilize relativity slow traditional IR scene generation methods. These restrictions ultimately limit the algorithm developer's ability to quickly explore new concepts or to efficiently evaluate thealgorithm's performance.This project would have wide appeal throughout the DoD since synthetic digital simulations are increasingly being utilized to test, evaluate, or derive new guided-munitions targeting algorithms. We anticipate this program has the potential to become astandard within the DoD industry that will be inserted into many large DoD digital simulations and hardware-in-the-loop test facilities. Its low cost will also make it a candidate to support field-testing and man-in-the-loop training applications. Ourcontracting team consisting of Kinetics, Inc. and Dynetics, Inc. has considerable knowledge with the ballistic missile threat and industry scene generation requirements necessary to support efforts to neutralize these threats. We also have extensiveknowledge in simulations used for tactical training applications and would look to extend the findings of this effort to those areas as well.