COVERT TERRAIN/OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE SYSTEM FOR HELICOPTERS

DCS WILL CONDUCT A STRUCTURED AND SYSTEMATIC RESEARCH PROGRAM INTO NEAR AND MID-TERM OBSTACLE AND TERRAIN AVOIDANCE TECHNOLOGIES. THE GOAL WILL BE TO IDENTIFY THE MOST PROMISING SENSOR TECHNOLOGIES AND CONFIGURATIONS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT AND INCORPORATION INTO ARMY HELICOPTERS. THIS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED BY CONDUCTING A THREE STEP PROGRAM. FIRST, A REVIEW OF THE SYSTEMS AND LESSONS LEARNED. SECOND, CURRENT SYSTEMS AND VENDORS WILL BE SURVEYED AND REVIEWED. IN THIS STEP, EACH SYSTEM WILL BE ANALYZED FOR PERFORMANCE AGAINST THE OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS. FINALLY, THE CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES WILL BE RESEARCHED TO ESTABLISH THE MOST PROMISING AND LEAST RISKY SENSOR CONFIGURATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY AREAS REQUIRING FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.