Military

Exelis tests versatile new airborne sensor for explosives and dangerous chemicals

Exelis tests versatile new airborne sensor for explosives and dangerous chemicals
Gene Wess, an Exelis Geospatial Systems engineer, with the long-wave infrared hyperspectral sensor
​Gene Wess, an Exelis Geospatial Systems engineer, with the long-wave infrared hyperspectral sensor
View 2 Images
The Exelis longwave infrared hyperspectral sensor
1/2
The Exelis longwave infrared hyperspectral sensor
Gene Wess, an Exelis Geospatial Systems engineer, with the long-wave infrared hyperspectral sensor
2/2
​Gene Wess, an Exelis Geospatial Systems engineer, with the long-wave infrared hyperspectral sensor

Hyperspectral imaging is a bit like super-vision. With it, you can not only see what’s there, but what it’s made of, which is a good thing if you’re looking for bombs, gas leaks, and smuggled nuclear material. Defense and information systems specialist Exelis has announced the successful test of a new airborne long-wave infrared (LWIR), hyperspectral (HSI) sensor that can be aimed in multiple directions and is capable of detecting explosives, gases and dangerous chemicals.

Hyperspectral imaging is an extremely helpful tool for both commercial and military applications, but current equipment has its limitations. One of the big challenges is that the equipment needs to be cooled many degrees below freezing to work with any degree of accuracy across a broad range of the electromagnetic spectrum.

“We were able to overcome significant cooling requirements to ensure the sensor could collect usable data,” says Dr. Minda Suchan, director of material identification at Exelis. “This opens up new uses for LWIR HSI systems, such as looking into denied areas, from high-altitude aircraft. The LWIR HSI sensor development, along with real-time analytical processing, solves customer-identified hard problems and is a key part of the company’s strategic focus on intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and analytics.”

The Exelis longwave infrared hyperspectral sensor
The Exelis longwave infrared hyperspectral sensor

Conventional HSI sensors need to be mounted on aircraft, so they can fly directly over the target to get a proper image. According to Exelis, the new system can operate at multiple angles, so it can be mounted on gimbals and fly to one side of the target from high up to near the horizon, which is a clear asset for surveillance and watching a target that can shoot back.

They system’s onboard computers can fit in any medium to large manned or unmanned aircraft, so the integrated sensor and processing system can provide real-time information about the composition of gases and solids. This is especially important for detecting gases leaked by improvised explosives or from gas lines or containers, as well as any number of other applications in the military, and in the nuclear and chemical industries.

Exelis says that the test of its new sensor system involved placing various substances and minerals in the vicinity of Rochester, New York, with data being collected for later processing on the ground. In a real situation, however, the data would be processed in real time as the aircraft flew over the area. The company says that further tests are planned.

Source: Exelis

3 comments
3 comments
Slowburn
They act like refrigeration is a problem. If 90.19 K (−297.33 °F, −182.96 °C) is cool enough there are commercially available aircraft rated LOX systems. If you need colder Liquid hydrogen could be used and if you bleed the exhaust hydrogen to the engine it doubles as fuel supply increasing the range.
Nairda
What was the name of that helicopter in 1984 that went around looking through people's windows?
Suppose if you want to turn the frown upside down the long-wave infrared (LWIR) beam might actually provide some health benefits for the poor souls on the ground.
Stephen N Russell
Must for drone use or scan ships incoming for TNT etc. Radical for Security Mount on fixed stachions along US Mex border? Planes, ships, copters alone. & mount in van ( downsize to fit into van)