Precision Stabilization Requirements for Long-Range Acquisition Systems

Presently Army systems are under development to perform long-range engagement of tank type targets with Antitank Guided Missiles (ATGM) from heliborne platforms. This gives rise to the requirement for systems to perform long-range target acquisition. In order to recognize a tank target from low altitudes (nap-of-the-earth), at long standoff ranges, and under realistic battlefield conditions, a number of complex system design problems must be solved. High acuity electro-optical sensors which are needed to achieve recognition criteria require precision inertial stabilization of the line-of-sight (LOS). This problem is particularly difficult when the mission is performed under the dynamic environment of an attack helicopter. Various LOS stabilization concepts have been investigated to determine their relative merits with respect to meeting the precision stabilization performance requirement.© (1979) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.