AFFTC RADIOMETRIC ANALYSIS AND MEASUREMENT SYSTEM

Abstract

A broad class of Electro-Optical (E-O) sensors are continually being improved and/or developed for aircraft to assist in performance of such tasks as surveillance, target acquisition, target designation, and weapons delivery. These E-O sensors possess a variety of Electro-Optical links that encompass the spectral region of 0.4 to 14 micrometers. The Radiometric Lab at Edwards Air Force base is tasked to provide instrumentation support for projects that develop, test, and evaluate ground and airborne E-O systems/sensors. The heart of the labs support capability is the Radiometric Analysis and Measurement System (RAMS) and is contained within an all-terrain van. A variety of sub-systems exist within the van to meet support requirements. These include an 8 to 12 micron infrared (IR) imaging system, 4 to 14 micron spectral radiometer, 380 to 1068 nanometer spectral radiometer, 400 to 1800 nanometer imaging camera, 1.064 nd:YAG laser, off-axis collimator with IR and visible light sources, and a weather station. This paper describes the system, its capabilities and limitations, and its application in aircraft sensor evaluation.