Sensor Technology

Persistent Surveillance

M2 Technologies, Inc.'s (M2) persistent surveillance efforts possess the capability to permit detection of hostile fire in real-time and provide situational awareness to the warfighter in support of friendly elements. Persistent surveillance is a sensor-based thermal imaging tracking system that can detect, track, and aid in locating the source of hostile fire.

The DoD has emphasized that the enemy mortar threat must be negated. M2's Anti-Projectile Infrared Targeting System (APITS) concept has demonstrated the ability to detect mortars in its field tests. A mid-wave infrared (MWIR) solution offers a number of technical advantages with the potential to further enhance the counter-mortar force protection efforts.

APITS Concept of Future Development:

• High-speed IR system able to detect and track projectiles in flight with an electronically steered laser beam for tracking and targeting
• Reflected laser light provides target location data to a separately launched interceptor device
• Gun-launched interceptors with lethal penetrator projectiles have the capability to destroy the enemy projectile in flight

Advanced Sensor Solutions

Through the Expeditionary Capabilities Consortium, M2 and Kansas State University are investigating reliable and high-performance UV optical sensors to detect flames and explosions; our approach will produce sensors dramatically reduced in size and power consumption, with higher sensitivity and performance compared to the current state-of-the-art. Other sensor research aims to detect small concentrations of chemical warfare agents and explosives. Researchers are also developing a high-level logic module for the control architecture that facilitates the optimal deployment of these and other sensors (via robots) for a wide range of military applications, including surveillance, target detection and tracking.