DARPA Eyes Foliage-Penetrating Radar Signal Processing Workstation to Detect Infantry Moving in Forests

1 Maret 2010

Foliage Penetration Radar (photo : Lockheed Martin)

ARLINGTON - Radar signal processing experts at the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., are asking industry to develop a data-processing workstation to help pinpoint concentrations of foot soldiers moving in thick forests and other dense foliage.

The idea is to process radar signals from a foliage penetrating (FOPEN) radar mounted to manned and unmanned helicopters to filter out radar clutter like animals, wind-blown foliage, and moving water to estimate the position, size, and direction of travel of infantry concentrations moving in foliage.

The program is called Foliage Penetrating Ground Moving Target Indicator Radar Exploitation and Planning (FOPEN-GXP). Its goal is to develop and integrated a set of tools to enhance foliage-penetrating radar data as modules into a FOPEN-GXP system workstation.

DARPA wants to demonstrate the effectiveness of such a workstation with data from the Foliage Penetration Reconnaissance, Surveillance, Tracking and Engagement Radar (FORESTER) system, developed by Syracuse Research Corp. in North Syracuse, N.Y., which is mounted to a Boeing A-160 Hummingbird unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

FORESTER radar (photo : DARPA)

DARPA issued a broad agency announcement (DARPA-BAA-10-07) Wednesday for the FOPEN-GXP program to develop foliage-penetrating radar signal processing workstations with modules that discriminate between Doppler radar signatures, estimate the state and activities of detected infantry concentrations, and plan where to place the radar sensors and determine radar modes for best results.

DARPA has tested the FORESTER radar on a manned UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, as well as on an A-160 Hummingbird unmanned helicopter. Last year, DARPA expert tested the FORESTER on an A-160 to detect radar returns from moving humans and animals, ground vehicles, boats, and other clutter and false targets.

(Military & Aerospace Electronics)

TNI AU Bangun Radar di Sanggau Ledo

20 Februari 2010

Singkawang, Kalimantan Barat (image : GoogleMaps)

Panglima Koopsau I Marsekal Muda Imam Sufaat, mengatakan TNI AU dalam mengawasi wilayah pertahanan udara Indonesia yang masih belum dijangkau, akan menempatkan radar yang rencananya finishing pada 2014.

Menurut mantan Danlanud Supadio periode 2000-2002 ini, radar yang akan dibangun di Singkawang II terletak di Sanggau Ledo. Fungsinya untuk mendeteksi atau Early Warning terhadap pesawat asing yang melintas di wilayah udara Indonesia.

Demikian dikatakan Imam saat menjamu Gubernur, Cornelis dan Muspida Kalbar dalam makan malam bersama di sebuah hotel, Kota Pontianak, Rabu (18/2) malam.

Pada kesempatan itu, Imam juga menginformasikan status Lanud Supadio naik status menjadi type A sehingga komandan Lanud nantinya harus bintang satu (Marsekal Muda).

Selain Gubernur dan Muspida, hadir dalam jamuan tersebut, Kapolda Kalbar Brigjen Erwin TP Lumban Tobing, Danlanud Spuadio Kolonel (Pnb) Yadi Indrayadi, Wakil Walikota Pontianak, Paryadi serta Bupati KKR Muda Mahenrdrawan.

Menindaklanjuti pembangunan pangkalan udara type C di Putusibau, Pati kelahiran Wates, Yogyakarta 21 Januari 1955, ini menjelaskan, Lanud tersebut nantinya akan difungsikan sebagai pertahanan TNI. Selain dekat perbatasan, juga sangat mendukung operasi yang dilaksanakan TNI baik AU, AD dan AL, sehingga perlu pangkalan dekat perbatasan.

Gubernur Cornelis yang hadir malam itu menyampaikan, terkait pembangunan Lanud di Kalbar, Pemprov siap membantu sesuai kapasitas agar pembangunannya berjalan lancar.

Mengenai status Lanud Supadio yang menjadi type A tinggal menunggu realisasi dan persayaratan untuk Lanud A minimum ada dua skuadron tempur. "Saat ini kita baru satu skuadron. Jadi nanti tunggu satu skuadron baru diresmikan," jelas Imam sembari mengabarkan bahwa Lanud di Indonesia yang naik status selain Supadio adalah Lanud Pekan Baru.

(Borneo Tribune)