Advanced Indirect Fire Geolocation Using Relocatable Listening Posts

Acoustic detection of indirect fire impact points and the points of origin is a difficult problem. The sensors themselves are time consuming to emplace and maintain, the acoustic data received is difficult to interpret, and sound transmission times introduce latency into the system. SARA proposes an innovative set of algorithms at the command post level to interpret the reports from an array of mobile listening posts with a constantly changing configuration. The algorithms first correlate overlapping and conflicting attacks into event groups. The event groups are then analyzed to determine shot geolocations. Finally, a grouping analysis turns a confusing cloud of shots into discrete attacker positions to report to the warfighter.SARA envisions the command post algorithms as one segment of an integrated indirect fire system that includes advanced listening post signal processing algorithms and advanced flow noise reducing sensors. SARA has an innovative environmentally rugged sensor technology, and a suite of listening post algorithms that can be integrated into the system. The current investigation into the command post algorithms will derive requirements for listening post sensor designs and drive their implementation.