Detection of Underwater Military Munitions by a Synoptic Airborne Multi-Sensor System

Many active and former military installations have ranges and training areas that include adjacent water environments that pose technical challenges for cleanup of unexploded ordnance (UXO). This SERDP project was aimed at testing advanced technologies, originally developed for mine detection under the Synoptic Airborne Multi-Sensor System (SAMSS) program, for underwater UXO detection. Multiple technologies were investigated during the project including multispectral imaging REVEAL (Rapid Efficient Volumetrically-EnAbled Lidar) and lidar shearography. Of the three technologies, two (MSI imagery and REVEAL lidar) were tested simultaneously from the Makai Pier in Oahu against the same target fields. However, while results from each of the three technologies were promising, more work needs to be done to ensure a fused synoptic solution can be achieved.