Proceedings Article | 5 May 2010
Steve Snarski, Alberico Menozzi, Todd Sherrill, Chris Volpe, Mark Wille
KEYWORDS: Cameras, Data acquisition, Prototyping, Detection and tracking algorithms, Weapons, Infrared cameras, Algorithm development, Acoustics, Sensors, Image processing
This paper describes experimental results from recent live-fire data collects that demonstrate the capability of a
prototype system for projectile detection and tracking. This system, which is being developed at Applied Research
Associates, Inc., under the FightSight program, consists of a high-speed thermal camera and sophisticated image
processing algorithms to detect and track projectiles. The FightSight operational vision is automated situational
intelligence to detect, track, and graphically map large-scale firefights and individual shooting events onto command and
control (C2) systems in real time (shot location and direction, weapon ID, movements and trends). Gaining information
on enemy-fire trajectories allows educated inferences on the enemy's intent, disposition, and strength. Our prototype
projectile detection and tracking system has been tested at the Joint Readiness Training Center (Ft Polk, LA) during live-fire
convoy and mortar registration exercises, in the summer of 2009. It was also tested during staged military-operations-
on-urban-terrain (MOUT) firefight events at Aberdeen Test Center (Aberdeen, MD) under the Hostile Fire
Defeat Army Technology Objective midterm experiment, also in the summer of 2009, where we introduced fusion with
acoustic and EO sensors to provide 3D localization and near-real time display of firing events. Results are presented in
this paper that demonstrate effective and accurate detection and localization of weapon fire (5.56mm, 7.62mm, .50cal,
81/120mm mortars, 40mm) in diverse and challenging environments (dust, heat, day and night, rain, arid open terrain,
urban clutter). FightSight's operational capabilities demonstrated under these live-fire data collects can support closecombat
scenarios. As development continues, FightSight will be able to feed C2 systems with a symbolic map of enemy
actions.