buglerbilly
10-02-11, 12:30 AM
Ares
A Defense Technology Blog
What's on the Radar Tonight?
Posted by Graham Warwick at 2/9/2011 2:47 PM CST
The military is moving to wide-area airborne surveillance (WAAS) to get away from the "soda-straw" limitations of the narrow-field-of-view video sensors now carried by most aircraft used for ISR, whether manned or unmanned. But they are still limited to daylight hours for electro-optical sensors and clear nights for infrared.
In a bid to overcome these limitations, the US Office of Naval Research is seeking proposals for wide-area radio-frequency surveillance (WARFS) sensors. The goal is to obtain video-like RF imagery of stationary and moving targets - buildings, vehicles and individuals - day and night, in all weather.
According to ONR's solicitation, WARFS would use one or more aircraft and be capable of imaging at area at least 5 x 5 miles, from 5 to 100 miles from the aircraft, with a resolution of at least 1ft. An update rate of 0.5Hz would provide a "video-like" image (EO/IR sensors typically produce full-motion video at a TV-like 20-60Hz).
ONR wants bidders to build on, or upgrade, existing military RF sensor capability. It plans to award one or two research contracts worth up to $750,000 a year and running for three to five years. It will be interesting to see what technology comes out of this effort.
A Defense Technology Blog
What's on the Radar Tonight?
Posted by Graham Warwick at 2/9/2011 2:47 PM CST
The military is moving to wide-area airborne surveillance (WAAS) to get away from the "soda-straw" limitations of the narrow-field-of-view video sensors now carried by most aircraft used for ISR, whether manned or unmanned. But they are still limited to daylight hours for electro-optical sensors and clear nights for infrared.
In a bid to overcome these limitations, the US Office of Naval Research is seeking proposals for wide-area radio-frequency surveillance (WARFS) sensors. The goal is to obtain video-like RF imagery of stationary and moving targets - buildings, vehicles and individuals - day and night, in all weather.
According to ONR's solicitation, WARFS would use one or more aircraft and be capable of imaging at area at least 5 x 5 miles, from 5 to 100 miles from the aircraft, with a resolution of at least 1ft. An update rate of 0.5Hz would provide a "video-like" image (EO/IR sensors typically produce full-motion video at a TV-like 20-60Hz).
ONR wants bidders to build on, or upgrade, existing military RF sensor capability. It plans to award one or two research contracts worth up to $750,000 a year and running for three to five years. It will be interesting to see what technology comes out of this effort.