2011 Annual Report - MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Airborne processor
Lexington, Massachusetts) operations
in December 2011. A key enabler for
full operation is a Pacific fiber-optic link
from Kwajalein to Guam, which was
emplaced in June 2010. A complete
circuit connecting Kwajalein and
Huntsville was established in fall 2010,
and an Interim Authority to Operate
at the classified level was granted
in February 2011.
■ Work began on an Office of Naval
Research future naval capabilities
program that will provide integrated
hard-kill and soft-kill engagement
scheduling for future shipboard
combat systems. The Laboratory
completed the design and coding,
integrated the algorithms in a
simulation test bed, and began
generating performance results.
LEADERSHIP
Dr. Hsiao-hua K. Burke Dr. Andrew D. Gerber Mr. Gerald C. Augeri Mr. Dennis J. Keane
Two-way
communication
with sensor turret
located on aircraft
FUTURE OUTLOOK
Sensor turret
ABOVE: In the Sensor Experimental System test
facility, the Lincoln Laboratory prototype airborne
processor is being integrated to a sensor turret
(Raytheon’s Multi-Spectral Targeting System).
The turret is designed to integrate with a Reaper
unmanned aerial vehicle to support passive infrared
missile tracking for the Airborne Infrared program.
The sensor turret is shown here on a manned
aircraft for initial flight tests.
RIGHT: Infrared image created by the sensor. The
Airborne Processor corrects the non uniformity of
the focal plane data and produces target detection
and tracking information.
■ Increasing vulnerability of deployed U.S. forces to large attacks by medium-range and inter-
mediate-range ballistic missiles mandates greater emphasis on improving regional BMD
battlespace and raid-handling capabilities. The Laboratory will have key responsibilities in
both Aegis BMD and the Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) phased adaptive approach.
■ The Navy and MDA are assessing how emerging sophisticated antiship missile threats
may influence both Fleet operations and the need for improved air and missile defense
capabilities. The Laboratory is helping with this assessment and with development and
demonstration of near-term modifications for existing systems, as well as longer-term
advanced capabilities, to respond to these threats.
■ The Navy is looking toward developing advanced soft-kill capabilities to complement the
hard-kill capabilities on which it has traditionally relied for ship self-defense, and toward
providing better electronic protection for Navy radar and missile systems. The Laboratory
is helping to shape a technology portfolio to ensure that electronic warfare capabilities are
adequately addressed across naval platforms and weapons systems.
■ To enhance the credibility of deployed missile defenses, ground and flight tests must be
planned and instrumented to verify the models and simulations relied upon by warfighters.
Lincoln Laboratory will continue to have a major role in test planning, test range and
instrumentation improvements, and capability assessment.
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