Experimental validation of ship identification with a laser range profiler

Naval operations in the littoral have to deal with threats at short range in cluttered environments with both neutral and hostile targets. There is a need for fast identification, which is possible with a laser range profiler. Additionally, in a coastal-surveillance scenario a laser range profiler can be used for identification of small sea-surface targets approaching the coast. A field trial in June 2007 at the coast of Norway was conducted to validate the concept of ship identification with a laser range profile. A laser range profiler with a high bandwidth, fast laser receiver was used to perform tests on the capability of a laser range profiler for identification. The ships in the field trial were of frigate size. Good laser range profiles could be obtained up to a range of 10 km. The experimental results were compared with the geometry of the ships and a simulated range profile based on a 3D target model. The good match between experimental and simulated laser range profiles means that a database of laser range signatures can be constructed from 3D-models, thus simplifying the database creation. It is shown that sea-surface targets can be distinguished by their laser range profiles. A neural net approach could distinguish five ships with no false identification.