SLANT - Stealthy Long-range Acquisition of Non-cooperating Targets

Pathfinder Systems, Inc. is proposing a project for Stealthy Long-range Acquisition of Non-cooperating Targets (SLANT). In this project, we will demonstrate using an onboard, passive Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor system to solve the real and persistent military requirement to counter increasingly ôradar stealthyö threat aircraft. Our solution increases the effectiveness of current EO/IR sensors while reducing form factor and SWaP. SLANT uses a novel hybrid solution to perform state vector tracking, trajectory prediction, and range estimates of non-cooperating targets from an MWIR cameraĺs output video stream in real-time. Pathfinderĺs algorithms are sensor agnostic and unique in integrating data from numerous sensor feeds. Working with Draken International, LLC, we will install the SLANT sensor in a captive AIM-9 sidewinder missile flown on various aircraft. The images provided by the sensor will be processed by the SLANT hardware/software suite, resulting in real-time target state vector updates, which will be provided to the pilot. We anticipate conducting up to 40 test flights in total. This SBIR addresses the immediate need for threat replication for USAF, DoD, and Contractor Air Services (CAS) aggressors. We will demonstrate that we can increase the range of commercially available MWIR and significantly extend MWIR native detection capability by applying our hybrid software solution that combines AI with algorithmic techniques. We will also demonstrate that we can provide a completely passive real-time range to target using a modified MWIR in an AIM-9 body. Our solution will work on single aerial platforms and in swarms. The single-platform solution uses a virtual software twin of the camera sensor to generate a virtual baseline for distance estimation. In addition to the funding sought from the SBIR program, Draken International will provide two AIM-9 missiles and 40 flight tests on their fleet of aggressor aircraft, while Sierra Olympia is providing the Ventus Hot 300 MWIR to use as our baseline sensor. This represents a significantáinvestment to prototype and test an improved IRST capability. We aim to test SLANT (currently at TRL 6) in a realistic air-to-air environment to verify our solution and determine if we can meet the 30 NM passive detection goal for the proposed effort and reach TRL 7.