An Alternate View Of Munition Sensor Fusion

An alternate multimode sensor fusion scheme is treated. The concept is designed to acquire and engage high value relocatable targets in a lock-on-after-launch sequence. The approach uses statistical decision concepts to determine the authority to be assigned to each mode in the acquisition sequence voting and decision process. Statistical target classification and recognition in the engagement sequence is accomplished through variable length feature vectors set by adaptive logics. The approach uses multiple decision for acquisition and classification, in the number of spaces selected, is adaptively weighted and adjusted. The scheme uses type of climate -- arctic, temperate, desert, and equatorial -- diurnal effects --- time of day -- type of background, type of countermeasures present -- signature suppresssion or obscuration, false target decoy or electronic warfare -- and other factors to make these selections. The approach is discussed in simple terms. Voids and deficiencies in the statistical data base used to train such algorithms is discussed. The approach is being developed to engage deep battle targets such as surface-to-surface missile systems, air defense units and self-propelled artillery.