NATO STO

Infrared and Electro-Optically (EO/IR) guided missiles are constantly evolving, and pose an increasing threat to aircraft. In fact, developments in infrared and electro-optical technology have led to EO/IR imaging seekers with far improved capabilities to reject conventional Countermeasures (CM): the first generation (line scanning) entered into service in the late 90s; the second generation (focal plane array - single band) entered into service in the mid-2000s; the latest anti-aircraft guided missiles are now thought to use third generation dual-band imaging seekers to further increase performance. This paced evolution imposes a constant challenge upon CM techniques and to the evolution of Self-Defense Suites and CM technologies. The proposed activity will be based on the achievements of SCI-139, SCI-192, SCI-239, and SCI-282. Through a cycling process involving capability development and CM assessment with digital simulations and field trials, these activities allowed the SCI-282 team to elaborate CM concepts against various generations of imaging seekers. SCI-139 created tools and techniques to evaluate and test IRCM concepts: Fly-In for digital simulations and the Imaging Seeker Surrogate (ISS) for seeker hardware simulation. Then, SCI-192 tested the implementation of an IRCM strategy at a very preliminary stage through Fly-In missile engagement simulation studies and by participating in NATO field trials to verify IRCM effectiveness. The activity demonstrated the technological rupture between the proliferating non-imaging missiles and the arising imaging missiles in terms of CM rejection capabilities. Through the extensive use of the Fly-In digital simulation, the SCI-239 activity then identified promising IRCM techniques for various types of aircraft. Finally, the SCI-282 activity returned to the capability development cycle by enriching the toolsets with new tracking algorithms representative of more recent missile generations, in addition to adapting the simulation tools and processes for dual-band algorithms extended to the full EO/IR domain. With these new capabilities, the most credible dual-band EO/IR seeker configurations were identified and their potential performances were evaluated. This was done while pursuing the development of CM techniques identified in SCI-239 and testing them in simulations and field trials.