System capabilities, requirements and design of the GDL gunfire detection and location system

Abstract

Using image processing techniques, the Gunfire Detection and Location (GDL) system detects gunfire and aims a suite of imagers at the muzzle flash point of origin. This detection and location function is critical for force and perimeter defense in densely populated areas as well as difficult operating environments such as a remote desert. This paper defines requirements of the GDL project. The GDL system is the result of research into using real-time image processing of mid-wave infrared imagery to detect gunfire and pin point its origin. Varieties of modern imagers are made available over the spectrum to aid an operator in assessing a detected signal. By using optical and acoustical methods, a design effort was launched to yield five vehicle based platforms. The hardware and algorithm used to implement the five basic functions is discussed in this paper. Issues such as component reliability, thermal issues, camera sensitivity operated during the daytime and nighttime, and optical design and bore sighting had to be united into a system designed to operate in the desert and powered from a high mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicle (HMMWV). The design, construction and testing was conducted in nine months. The project has yielded a system architecture that will be further tested and refined in the next phase of this project. Experiences with the development phase of GDL and future directions are described in this paper.