ATR technology holds the key to a better faster and safer way to perform postattack air base damage assessment

摘要

Abstract: Modern combat aircraft depend on high quality airfield surfaces for takeoff and landings (TOLs). This makes TOL surfaces a very attractive target to enemy attack. After an attack, the number one priority of the recovery forces at a combat air base is to restore the air base's war fighting capability; therefore, an accurate and expedient assessment of damage is the first step of the restoration process. At present a damage assessment system (DAS) that can accurately, rapidly, and safely characterize and evaluate the magnitude of damage from an enemy attack with conventional weaponry such as mines and bombs does not exist. Using the systems engineering approach, this paper develops a DAS based on the promising ATR technology for improving the conduct of the postattack air base DA function. This paper also examines and identifies the sensors and the sensor fusion techniques that form the core of this DAS. Furthermore, this paper ranks the exploitable technologies and recommends test-worthy systems for further analysis.!0