SBIR/STTR Award attributes
To address the Navy’s need for advanced optical systems for the detection, identification, and tracking of hypersonic cruise missiles, Intellisense Systems, Inc. proposes to develop a new Intellectual Tip-Off Optical Reconnaissance Sensor for Counter-Hypersonics (I-TORCH) based on a combination of a unique mobile-field-of-view (FOV) omnidirectional middle-wave infrared (MWIR, 3-5 um) sensor and artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) software for efficient detection, tracking, recognition, and identification of maneuverable hypersonic missiles. I-TORCH provides early warning and alerting of fixed-site and ship self-defense systems in tiered fixed and mobile networks, using space, airborne, and fixed (land/naval) unmanned and manned platforms. I-TORCH provides trajectory prediction and yields accurate aimpoint estimates, using AI/ML, for maneuverable hypersonic missiles. Specifically, I-TORCH uses a combined mobile-FOV sensor, controlled by AI/ML software, optimized for efficient high-resolution (1024 by 1024 pixels) high-frame-rate (up to 2.5 kHz) video imaging of the hypersonic missile targets in a highly cluttered environment. The mobile-FOV sensor combines the wide-field-of-view (>34 deg high-resolution (1024 by 1024 pixels) MWIR sensor for patrol of the large areas suitable for far away (hundreds or thousands of nmi) flight of hypersonic cruise missiles. As the hypersonic target is detected by the sensor’s AI, the narrow mobile-FOV MWIR sensor is immediately (
