“Missile defense applications represent a particularly challenging test environment, based on the mission complexity and the variety of phenomenological effects occurring simultaneously that are within the spectral bands of interest,” states Mr. Ross Q. Smith, Quantum3D cofounder and president. “The Independence IGbased prototype system provides the performance and fidelity these complex HWIL applications require, while at the same time supporting future technology insertion as newer and more capable PC-based subsystems and graphics technologies become commercially available. This means that the system can economically deliver increasing performance and fidelity levels while assuring application compatibility.”

According to Mr. Tom Florence, director of tactical programs at Radiance Technologies, “The integration of real-time, high-fidelity simulations within a commercially supported, scalable parallel graphics architecture represents a significant opportunity for the defense community to achieve economies of scale and realize a much-needed order of magnitude improvement in HWIL simulation fidelity. We believe that our efforts with CG² on this important AFRL program provide a great start to what should prove to be a watershed improvement in HWIL simulation fidelity and value.”

The requirements for missile seeker simulation are rigorous and have previously strained the capabilities of PC-based platforms. AFRL is confident that the CG² prototype system will meet future HWIL simulation requirements and also provide a cost-effective path for realizing performance enhancements as they become available.

Mr. Don Snyder and Mr. Charles Coker, of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Munitions Directorate, wrote this article. For more information, contact TECH CONNECT at (800) 203-6451 or place a request at http://www.afrl.af.mil/techconn_index.asp. Reference document MN-H-05-17.