The fusion of data from multiple sensors provides analysts with valuable information for tracking mobile ground targets concealed under trees or camouflage.

Current intelligence fusion systems are not accurately and quickly performing the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) fusion necessary for tracking moving targets that use camouflage, concealment, and deception to avoid detection. Combatant commanders require a more flexible and responsive capability to engage fleeting and mobile targets.

AFRL scientists established the Targets Under Trees (TUT) program to find, fix, track, target, engage, and assess stationary and moving surface targets.¹ Now, they are developing the component-level, TUT Intelligence Fusion System (IFS), which provides the capability to fuse intelligence data from multiple ISR sensors. The IFS architecture integrates the capabilities of multiple fusion components and systems to produce actionable information about the location and identity of time-critical, mobile, ground vehicle targets.²

IFS interfaces operational during JEFX 2004

The IFS relies on a number of mathematical and physical-movement algorithms to produce tracks and classify targets. By thoroughly and rapidly processing the available data, the system provides the analyst a jumpstart on situation awareness. Researchers designed the IFS to correlate tracks from multiple sources and then determine whether those tracks indicate one or more targets. The IFS can also accept raw sensor measurements and either produce a track or associate the measurements with existing tracks. Finally, the IFS posts track data to a database for ready access by other systems and analysts.