N152-088    TITLE:  Infrared Search and Threat Identification

TECHNOLOGY AREAS:  Air Platform, Sensors, Battlespace

ACQUISITION PROGRAM:   PMA 265 F-18 Aircraft Program Office Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared (ATFLIR) Program

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals

(FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the solicitation. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. 

OBJECTIVE:  Design a software application that can be used with an infrared (IR) sensor to identify a potential target threat by analyzing its infrared signature. 

DESCRIPTION:  A number of thermal imaging devices and sensor systems that are capable of tracking an IR signature exist in the fleet today; however, they do not have the capability to identify the threat level of the designated target. For example, the AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System (DAS) on the F-35 provides situational awareness, detection, and tracking but not threat identification. The Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared (ATFLIR) on the F/A-18 provides long range target detection without threat identification. The capability to infer, from existing sensor IR imagery data, the identification and classification of high end airborne threats, is needed. This passive capability would be integrated into existing airborne sensors to allow for threat identification in emission controlled and emission denied tactical operational environments. The goal is to provide threat identification as a software application within the current sensor system such as the F-35 DAS or the F/A-18 ATFLIR. The capability needs to provide temporal discrimination of IR signatures and positive threat identification with a low false alarm rate. The solution must be supportable with the form, fit, and function of the target sensor with efforts to minimize space, weight, and power (SWAP) impacts for future compatibility. The government will provide SWAP requirements once the target sensor is selected. 

PHASE I:  Define and develop a concept for an IR threat identification capability. Compare innovative techniques in IR threat identification against existing techniques and quantify the performance differences. Formulate and prove feasibility of a concept for implementation using existing IR sensors technology and identify whether the proposed solution will require a hardware component. A limited, unclassified threat data set will be provided for application in concept development.

PHASE II:  Produce prototype technology based on the concept developed in Phase I. Develop models and simulation techniques to show achievable performance. Demonstrate the functional technology and its performance in a controlled environment. Validate the selected technique and demonstrate advantages within the scope of specific IR threat data to be provided by the Government. Work produced in Phase II may become classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. owned and operated with no foreign influence as defined by DoD 5220.22-M, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor and/or subcontractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances, in order to perform on advanced phases of this project as set forth by DSS and NAVAIR in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material in accordance with DoD 5220.22-M during the advanced phases of this contract. 

PHASE III:  Transition the technology into a suitable candidate IR sensor system, identified by the Navy, and provide empirical evidence on the effectiveness of system threat identification. Transition the developed technology to the Fleet.

REFERENCES:  

1.                Renuka, D. V. & Reddy, K. M. (2013). Infrared Background and Missiles Signature Survey, Defense Science Journal, 63(6). DOI : 10.14429/dsj.63.5762

2.                Bhanu, B. & Jones, T. (1993). Image Understanding Research For Automatic Target Recognition, IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems, 8(10). Retrieved from

http://www.vislab.ucr.edu/PUBLICATIONS/pubs/Journal%20and%20Conference%20Papers/before10-11997/Journals/1993/Imageunderstandingresearch93.pdf

3.                Department of Defense. (2006). DoD 5220.22-M, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual. Retrieved from http://www.fas.org/sgp/library/nispom/nispom2006.pdf

KEYWORDS:  Imagery Processing; Threat Identification; Threat Detection; Infrared (IR); Thermal Imaging; infrared (IR) Temporal Analysis

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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