Day/Night Ship Mounted Aircraft Approach and Landing Imaging Sensor

This proposal addresses the monitoring and recording of aircraft operations in the carrier deck environment, including launching, recovery and deck handling. The problems associated with current systems include image blooming form intense energy sources (lights, engine exhaust, and solar), and performance in adverse conditions (darkness, haze, fog, and precipitation). In addition, problems exist with reliability, interchangeability, availability, and environmental ruggedness. We propose innovative technologies that will overcome these problems while offering other advantages. By using a high performance, mid wave infrared focal plane imager, combined with a high dynamic range CCD TV imager, we offer operability under highly adverse scene and weather conditions. Through image fusion processing, each camera's performance is enhanced by the other. This renders fully detailed real time images with both visible and infrared energy contributing to their composition. Tailoring the optics to the requirements results in a modular sensor that will perform to expectation in the respective applications and mounting locations. This sensor is installed in application specific housing at each location, thereby reducing spares requirements. Additional applications and benefits are described for commercial and military aviation, maritime operations, and surveillance systems; and in advanced military fire control systems.