Award Data

Missile defense faces the challenges of rapidly maturing and evolving complex threats, possessing capabilities which require the use of all available resources to successfully detect, track and identify the lethal objects. Future performance will rely on multiple sensors such as ground and sea based radars and electro-optical and infrared sensors for target recognition. It is crucial to develop a ...

We propose a novel computational framework for discrimination that incorporates sensor data from observations of the engagement and from kill assessment (KA) that such sensors can provide. The KA information is combined with data from other sensors to improve the discrimination decision and to reduce the probability of correlated shots. Approved for Public Release 16-MDA-8620 (1 April 16)

Our proposed second order uncertainty (SOU) product is a decision making software solution that addresses the problem of providing accurate and precisely defined decision courses of action (COAs) of complex, time-constrained problems in a fraction of the time required by alternative methods striving to achieve the same level of precision. Complex decision situations can deal with large volume of ...

The goal of this program is to design a lightweight optical bench capable of remaining stable under temperature and moisture changes, while isolating the precision optical array from vibrations such as engine noise and air turbulence. By integrating a customizable periodic stack in the bench, vibrations are attenuated more effectively than commercially available mounts. Additionally, the periodic ...

In our Adaptive Management and Mitigation of Uncertainty in Fusion (AMMUF) project, we will model the entire multi-sensor fusion process as a probabilistic model and reason about the different design and algorithmic decisions that can be made by system engineers. This fusion model will use standard fusion system representations and ideas from statistical relational learning field to create flexibl ...

Boston Fusion, together with our teammate Syracuse University, propose a program of research and development, Uncertainty Characterization Using Copulas (UC)2, that will result in a parametric framework based on the statistical theory of copulas for modeling uncertainties for the problem of object classification. (UC)2 will produce a mathematical framework, founded on rigorous theoretical analysis ...

Leveraging the results of our Phase I work, the Torch Team proposes to execute laboratory-based experiments to elucidate fundamental micro-debris formation mechanisms to improve optical modeling of impacts. Optical signatures from impacts collected over the last decade have identified definitive micro-debris parameter trends. However, current theories have difficulty reproducing these optical ob ...

The objective of this proposal is to demonstrate the feasibility of producing light weight and thermally manageable integrated optical systems suitable for a variety of space and airborne high power directed energy applications. This project will focus on improving two of the most important parts of a high energy mirror design, the highly reflective mirror surface, and the light weight and stiff m ...

Miniaturized base metal electrodes (BME) multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) are of great interest for future missile applications as designers are striving to achieve smaller, lighter, cheaper, faster and better electronic assemblies without sacrificing long-term performance. Unfortunately, screening, reliability and qualifications criteria are either not available or not standardized. In the ...

Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) proposes to design, develop, and demonstrate a portable, non-invasive, real-time sensor to assess the chemical and physical health of solid rocket motors (SRMs) as a function of age without affecting the motors integrity. In Phase I, a sensor to monitor specific gas species that are markers of the chemical and mechanical aging processes of composite and double base pr ...