On Demand Polarimetric Upgrade Kit demonstrated with a SWIR/MWIR SWARMS optical tracking camera

For a Directed Energy Counter-UAS (CUAS) system to engage and kill SWARMS of UASs, a high-speed kill chain is required.  The kill process typically starts with (1) a wide-area surveillance sensor (typically radar) generating a “low accuracy” threat cue for an Acquisition Tracking Sensor (ATS), (2) the ATS acquires the target and provides an accurate angle/angle cue to a Fine Tracking Sensor (FTS), (3) the FTS acquires the target and provides aim-point for a directed energy weapon, such as a High Energy Laser (HEL) for a kill.  Once the kill is verified, the ATS acquires the next target and the process repeats.  For such a system to be an effective SWARMS counter-measure, each component of the kill chain cycle must adhere to a very short time budget.    PST proposes an on-demand polarization sensing approach that is (1) applied only when necessary, and (2) is an accessory that can be added to an existing EOIR sensor.  On-demand polarization sensing is implemented with a Polarization Upgrade Kit (PUK) that can be added like a filter between the camera and lens.  If the weapon system receives a cue that a threat is in its assigned air-space, but the ATS cannot acquire the target in its standard intensity mode, the spinning polarizer is inserted to attempt acquisition in its polarization mode. This Phase II effort will start with the designs and analysis of the Phase I and build and demonstrate the PUK added to a SWIR/MWIR camera.  The effectiveness of a polarization enhanced sensor demonstrated in Phase I with sensors and data collects of opportunity will be demonstrated in Phase II.  In addition, the algorithms demonstrated in Phase I that show effective exploitation of the intensity and polarization data will be integrated with the deliverable such that the high-speed data acquisition times required for defeating SWARMS is achieved.