Navy chooses SWIR camera from Sensors Unlimited for day/night sight sensor research

DAHLGREN, Va., 4 Feb. 2013. U.S. Navy researchers needed a rugged high-resolution shortwave infrared (SWIR) camera with snapshot exposure for advanced weapons research. They found their solution from the UTC Aerospace Systems Sensors Unlimited Products segment in Princeton, N.J.

Officials of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division in Dahlgren, Va., announced their intention last week to award a sole-source contract to Sensors Unlimited for a GA1280JS high-resolution, military-rugged, high-sensitivity, indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) SWIR camera. The value of the contract has yet to be negotiated.

Weapons researchers at Dahlgren will use the Sensors Unlimited GA1280JS SWIR camera as an integrated day/night sight technology (IDNST) prototype precursor electro-optical sensor with a resolution of 1280 by 1024 pixels at 12.5-micron pixel pitch with InGaAs focal plane array.

Navy researchers needed a camera with 0.7-micron, 1.7-micron wavelength response, 30 frames per second, snapshot and global shutter, operations in temperatures from -40 to 70 degrees Celsius, 12-bit camera link digital output, dynamic range enhancements and 22 preconfigured OPR settings with ability to toggle on and off factory stored corrections. The Sensors Unlimited GA1280JS met their needs.

The Dahlgren Laboratory at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division one of the Navy's premier research and development centers for weapon system integration.

The Sensors Unlimited compact J-series is a SWIR digital video camera with a 1.3-megapixel high-resolution, high-sensitivity InGaAs imager designed to provide real-time daylight to low-light imaging in the short wave infrared wavelength spectrum for persistent surveillance, laser detection, and penetration through fog, dust, and smoke.

The camera employs on-board automatic gain control (AGC) and built-in non-uniformity corrections (NUCs) that enable the sensor to perform high-dynamic-range urban night imaging without blooming.

The camera's digital output provides for plug-and-play video with 12-bit images for digital image processing or transmission. The light-weight and compact size lends itself to aerial, mobile and hand-held surveillance systems, Sensors Unlimited officials say.

For more information contact Sensors Unlimited online at www.sensorsinc.com, or the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division at www.navsea.navy.mil/nswc/dahlgren.