N102-130 TITLE: Multi-Polarization Inverse Synthetic-Aperture Radar (ISAR) for Automated Ship and Small Craft Classification

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Ground/Sea Vehicles, Sensors, Battlespace

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMA-299 H-60 Helicopter Program

RESTRICTION ON PERFORMANCE BY FOREIGN CITIZENS (i.e., those holding non-U.S. Passports): This topic is "ITAR Restricted." The information and materials provided pursuant to or resulting from this topic are restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120 - 130, which control the export of defense-related material and services, including the export of sensitive technical data. Foreign Citizens may perform work under an award resulting from this topic only if they hold the "Permanent Resident Card", or are designated as "Protected Individuals" as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). If a proposal for this topic contains participation by a foreign citizen who is not in one of the above two categories, the proposal will be rejected.

OBJECTIVE: Develop innovative, multiple polarization techniques that will both increase the information content in Inverse Synthetic-Aperture Radar (ISAR) images as well as exploit that information to increase the robustness of maritime classification tools that assist sensor operators in rapidly and accurately classifying ships and small boats in the littoral.

DESCRIPTION: The state of the art in ISAR assisted target recognition uses single polarization image frames. The coherent nature of both SAR and ISAR processing can make it subject to a considerable amount of speckle (or glint of unresolved scatterers) as well as "holes" in the image where the scattering mechanism provides a cross-polarized response to the antenna. Speckle reduction improves the visual quality of SAR and ISAR imagery, and it permits the application of more sophisticated image processing and/or improves the robustness of current feature extraction algorithms.

Multiple polarimetric processing techniques have been developed for SAR processing that reduces these problems significantly. If applied to ISAR, these techniques have the potential to significantly improve the quality of the feature extraction and thus classification performance. In addition, different polarization responses are indications of features. For example, if dual circular polarization responses are sampled on receive, resolved scatterers will be separated by channel into even and odd bounce scatterers. This property has the potential to clearly identify the two-bounce scattering at the intersection of the deck and the superstructure from the flat plates of the hull and the superstructure.

PHASE I: Develop and perform a detailed concept and analysis assessing the value of multi-polarization ISAR processing for aiding ship and small craft classification. Determine feasibility of the concept and develop a test plan that addresses performance metrics for use during Phase II testing.

PHASE II: Design and demonstrate that the prototype of the proposed approach can improve ISAR classification aids in the presence of imperfect data. The demonstration and refinement should be undertaken using either available or DoD provided data sets.

PHASE III: Collaborate with radar system manufacturers to transition the technology to the Fleet.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The general methods developed could be applicable to a wide range of feature classification needs ranging from those of homeland security to the medical field.

REFERENCES:
1. Kawakami, K., Tanaka, H. & Yamamoto, K. (2004). 3D Object Recognition using ISAR Image. SICE Annual Conference in Sapporo. Japan. pp. 204-207. http://ieeexplore.ieee.org xpl/freeabs_all.jsp?arnumber=1491396

2. Withagen, P. J., Schutte, K., Vossepoel, A. & Breuers, M. (1999). Automatic classification of ships from infrared (FLIR) images Signal Processing, Sensor Fusion, and Target Recognition VIII, SPIE Proceedings Vol. 3270, Orlando, USA, pp. 180-187.

KEYWORDS: Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar; Polarization; Automatic Target Recognition; Ship and Small Craft Classification; Littoral Operations; Radar

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

DoD Notice:   Between April 21 and May 19, 2010, you may talk directly with the Topic Authors to ask technical questions about the topics. For reasons of competitive fairness, direct communication between proposers and topic authors is not allowed starting May 19, 2010, when DoD begins accepting proposals for this solicitation.

However, proposers may still submit written questions about solicitation topics through the DoD's SBIR/STTR Interactive Topic Information System (SITIS), in which the questioner and respondent remain anonymous and all questions and answers are posted electronically for general viewing until the solicitation closes. All proposers are advised to monitor SITIS (10.2 Q&A) during the solicitation period for questions and answers, and other significant information, relevant to the SBIR 10.2 topic under which they are proposing.

If you have general questions about DoD SBIR program, please contact the DoD SBIR Help Desk at (866) 724-7457 or email weblink.