Real-Time Infrared (IR) Source Calibration

"The Enhanced Infrared (IR) Laboratory at the Air Force Electronic Warfare Evaluation Simulator (AFEWES) Hardware-in-the-Loop facility in Fort Worth, Texas, simulates high fidelity IR signatures for realistic test and evaluation of IR missile seekers andcountermeasures. A current growth requirement is the capability to monitor in real-time the IR signatures that are simulated. AFEWES must currently calibrate the IR sources used in the simulation before and after testing, which involves removing themissile body to provide the optical path to the calibration detectors. Source monitoring and calibration during actual testing will greatly facilitate operation of the simulation and help to validate the test results, since the irradiance levels andmodulation provided to the seeker will be known. To meet the AFEWES requirement, Technology Service Corporation (TSC) is proposing to develop a Real-Time Infrared Measurement System (RTIMS) to monitor the simulated IR signatures. Candidate solutionsbased on detector arrays and a collecting mirror will be developed and evaluated. Tradeoff studies will address practicality, cost, and performance. Under Phase I, a partial RTIMS prototype system will be developed and demonstrated at AFEWES based on theselected solution, and under Phase II, the full RTIMS capability will be developed, integrated, and demonstrated. The development of the RTIMS system should prove to be valuable to other military