Digital active optical target detection system

Provided is a detection system that utilizes high dynamic range, monolithically arranged, digital pixel sensors for situational awareness, targeting, tracking or locating. The detection system transmits a radially outwardly directed set of laser pulses into an environment, aspects of the pulses being reflected back by environmental elements to a single pixel array. The single pixel array scans volumetric space proximate the environment for profile characterization of the reflected aspects by the detection system in terms of intensity and multiplicity. The detection system is configured to compare this profile against a library of profiles of known environmental elements to distinguish between the environmental elements and a target. The detection system may be disposed about an outer periphery of a projectile for use in determining when the projectile is proximate the target for triggering an actionable element of the projectile, such as an initiator fuze for an explosive system.