TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Information Systems, Sensors, Battlespace

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMA-265, F/A-18 Hornet Program

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with section 3.5.b.(7) of the solicitation.

OBJECTIVE: Develop an innovative and hardware agnostic software processing architecture capable of processing multi-sensor imagery (imagery and meta-data) collected from tactical and national Intelligence Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets that will allow for technology upgrades and insertion of new capability to meet next generation sensor and war fighter capabilities.

DESCRIPTION: New ISR sensors are being developed which require specific processing of both real time and post mission sensor data at the tactical level resulting in a large inventory of uniquely designed processors that process only ISR data for that particular sensor. An innovative software architecture design for imagery processing is being sought that will provide concurrent processing of still-frame (NITF 2.1 format) and Full Motion Video (FMV) imagery (MPEG 2 step 10, MPEG 4, and H.264 standard and high definition formats). The processor must be capable of extracting metadata embedded in the imagery stream. The goal of this imagery and data fusion is the development of a hardware agnostic software application that can process the ISR data for a list of candidate sensor systems. This initiative would investigate merging capabilities within existing common configuration processors that would be able to host software applications capable of ingesting and processing ISR data collected from existing ISR sensors. The software application would also be capable of growth to add additional sensor processing capabilities, compatible interfaces as defined in the referenced Standardized Agreements (STANAG), and Motion Imagery Standards Board (MISB) standards. The software design would allow for simultaneous processing and merging of sensor data from different ISR sensors along with the associated metadata. The system must meet all Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) requirements for information assurance certification and accreditation.

PHASE I: Determine the feasibility of developing a common imagery processing software architecture using the referenced imagery standards. Provide a risk analysis assessing the ability to meet all processing requirements of the candidate sensors and identify all technical challenges that might be encountered in developing and implementing a common processing software design.

PHASE II: Using the results of the Phase I, develop a prototype common imagery processing software application. Identify future ISR technology growth areas that may be addressed by the common imagery processing software and demonstrate how the candidate software design will respond to future growth as part of a pre-planned product improvement process.

PHASE III: Finalize the software application design for processing ISR sensor data. Integrate information assurance requirements into the design. Conduct operational assessment and testing at the user activity to show that the software application can meet all performance requirements.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The use of a common software application to host and process ISR type data has application in other Government and civilian applications beyond DoD. Other Government agencies such as Homeland Security and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) could use this application to process their EO/IR imagery of border areas and drug interdiction routes. The application can be used to track movement of potential terrorist threats on our borders and those seeking to enter the country illegally through comparative imagery analysis. In a civilian application the software can be used in the maintenance management of the domestic power grid where thermal imagery of power lines can be processed and compared over time to identify insulator leaks and hot spots where energy is lost during transmission will require repair.

REFERENCES:
1. Motion Imagery Standards Board Standards 9701, 0404, 9703, and 0201. Motion Imagery Standards Board Standard 0902.1 MISB Minimum Metadata Set, http://www.gwg.nga.mil/misb/index.html

2. Standards Agreement (STANAG) 4609 edition 3, 4575. National Imagery Transmission Format (NITF) 2.1 http://www.nato.int/cps/en/SID-A42B8986-9ADE5965/natolive/stanag.html

KEYWORDS: ground station; ISR; imagery processing; comparative analysis; full motion video; concurrent processing

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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