Physical Optics Corporation — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: SOCOM173-005

Description

To address USSOCOMs need for a system to detect, locate, track, and either disable and/or destroy a small unmanned aerial system (SUAS) from a distance, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop the new SUAS Killer, Identifier, and Tracker (SKEET) system. The SKEET system is based on a new design that combines state-of-the-art airspace monitoring technology utilizing compact scanning radar with novel passive RF scanning for rapid identification and discrimination from false targets. Innovations in accurate, high-speed tracking will enable fire control augmenting system data to be generated with enough fidelity to calculate dynamic, real-time firing solutions which can be fed to a motorized gimbal or to a weapons operator via heads up display or digital spotting scope. As a result, this system offers a tactical, ruggedized solution that provides effective countermeasures with sufficient standoff to allow for personnel to take appropriate offensive or defensive action. In Phase I, POC will theoretically demonstrate the feasibility of SKEET by conducting focused feasibility studies coupled with selected feasibility experiments to reach technology readiness level (TRL)-3. In Phase II, POC plans to refine the system design and produce a fully-integrated prototype to use for live demonstration against a SUAS, reaching TRL-6.