Active tracking using multibeam illumination

We have conducted active-tracking experiments in support of the Air Force's Airborne Laser program. These tests were conducted using the 5.4-km horizontal propagation range at the Lincoln Laboratory Firepond facility. Target illumination was accomplished using a multibeam illuminator laser provided by Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space; the tracking was performed using an imaging tracker provided by the Air Force Research Laboratory. Experiments were conducted using a number of different illuminator configurations, and with a variety of track algorithms. Results from these tests have quantified the performance benefits of multibeam illumination.