Specific demonstrated capabilities to achieve the MH/K neutralization goals include, in FY97, demonstration of multiple explosive neutralization concepts and selection of a baseline with the potential for near 100% P_k of mines. Specific concepts include bursting munitions, advanced propulsion schemes, and directed energy for incorporation into a two-stage process to remove any overburden and then penetrate and destroy the mine. The FY98 goal is to demonstrate that the baseline design for the explosive neutralizer can penetrate soil overburdens and can destroy mines at 98% P_k. In FY99, the DTO will demonstrate that integrated neutralization and detection components with automated targeting and fire control can achieve a delivery accuracy to within 1-m CEP at 30-m standoff and achieve 98% P_k. In FY00, the program will integrate MH/K components onto a surrogate platform and demonstrate the ability to kill mines at up to the ATD goals of 75-m standoff, 20-mph ground speed, and 98% P_k.

Milestones for the MH/K ATD include, in FY97, evaluating concepts for standoff point neutralization of mines; in FY98, completing the design and confirming the performance of baseline neutralizer; in FY99, integrating MH/K components and conducting technical and integration tests; and in FY00, conducting the MH/K ATD using a surrogate platform in operational environments.

Technical barriers include accurate, high-coverage-rate mine detection with real-time sensor processing; logistically efficient explosives that allow point destruction of mines; and real-time automated targeting and fire control with accuracy within 1-m CEP at up to 75-m standoff and ground speeds of 5-20 mph.

Specific demonstrated capabilities for the VMMD include the following: in FY97, demonstrating three down-looking ground-penetrating radar variants, two electromagnetic inductive coils (metal detector), and two forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensors (3-5 and 8-12 micron) to achieve an 80% P_d at 3-mph detection speed; and in FY98, demonstrating selected sensors, sensor fusion, automatic mine recognition and marking capabilities, and full-width arrays linked to tele-operation to achieve 5-mph detection speed, 90% P_d, and 0.04 FAR. Specific demonstrated capabilities to achieve MH/K detection goals include the following: in FY97, investigating forward-looking ground-penetrating radar to achieve greater than 80% P_d at 50-m standoff distances; in FY98, demonstrating a multimode, forward-looking, ground-penetrating radar and FLIR capability to reduce false alarms to less than 0.10 and leverage sensor fusion and automatic targeting development from the VMMD ATD; in FY99, demonstrating optimized, forward-looking, ground-penetrating radar and FLIR sensors combined with sensor fusion and real-time automatic mine recognition algorithms to achieve 98% P_d and 0.04 FAR at standoff distances greater than 50 m and at speeds approaching 20 mph; and in FY00, integrating detection components into the MH/K and demonstrating the ability to detect mines and hand targets off to the killer component at up to the ATD goals of 75-m standoff, 20 mph speed, and 98% P_d. (MH/K funding in G.01)

Milestones for the VMMD ATD include, in FY97, selecting the most promising multiple sensor options; and in FY98, conducting the VMMD ATD with integrated components on a tele-operated platform.

Technical barriers for VMMD include mechanisms to distinguish mines from clutter and requirements to operate in diverse environments, terrains, and soils at maneuver speed.

Milestones for the JCM ACTD include, in FY97, demonstrating the ability to conduct joint U.S. Army/Navy/Marine Corps shallow-water-to-land countermine operations using developmental and fielded countermine systems (Demo I); in FY98, demonstrating the ability to conduct seamless operations from deep water, through the beach to land objectives (Demo II); in FY00, demonstrating the ability to conduct surf zone detection and clearance, and conducting post-hostility/logistic tasks while operating in a mined environment (Demo III, proposed); and in FY03, demonstrating advanced technology concepts integrated with previous demonstration residuals (Demo IV, proposed).

Technical barriers include compatibility of service communication systems, mine detection in the surf zone, beach obstacle removal, data dissemination, data compression, and compatibility of service-specific models.

Specific demonstrated capabilities include, in FY97, demonstrating the operational suitability of COBRA sensors integrated into the Pioneer UAV during OPEVAL (OT-0). Through participation in JCM ACTD I, the program will demonstrate ground station processing for automatic minefield detection and localization; determination of minefield and obstacle location using onboard DGPS and aircraft attitude (pitch, roll, yaw) information; detection of ground and buried mines in representative types of terrain; day operations using passive and multispectral electro-optic sensing technologies; and real-time sensor tracking video downlink with map/image track overlay. In FY98, through participation in JCM ACTD II, enhanced/refined capabilities in all areas from the first phase will be demonstrated, including significant improvements in near-real-time ground station processing. In FY99, the program will demonstrate enhanced sensor systems. COBRA will participate in JCM ACTD I/II in FY97-98 and undergo transition to acquisition in FY99.

Technical barriers include high coverage rate, high image resolution, and near-real-time image processing to support automatic target recognition.

In FY97, the program will demonstrate preliminary munition integration of the 20-mm Antimine Projectile (AMP); improved aero-/hydrodynamic performance and ballistic characteristics of AMP; target mine vulnerability and AMP reactive-material payload effectiveness; static (tower) platform testing and demonstration of gun and LIDAR targeting and fire control system components; and integrated system-level computer simulation of RAMICS system performance. These demonstrations will characterize performance and lethality of gun, AMP, and targeting and fire control components. The FY98 goal is to demonstrate system lethality and effectiveness against actual mines. This demonstration will finalize AMP and payload design and complete integrated system design. In FY99, the program will demonstrate operation of the fully integrated RAMICS (LIDAR targeting/fire control, 20-mm gun, and AMP) from a static platform. The FY00 goal is to demonstrate in-flight (airborne platform) operation of the integrated RAMICS system against live mines.

Technical barriers for RAMICS include targeting through the modulating air/water interface, helicopter-safe standoff and aspect from mine detonation, targeting and ballistic accuracy supporting a 30-40-shot burst kill, wake interference effects of trailing projectiles, low-drag supercavitating dynamics, and mine penetration and destruction for all mine types (including mine detonation/deflagration for destruction confirmation).

Demonstrated capabilities include, in FY97, a lightweight magnetic sweeping subsystem consisting of a superconducting coil, cryocooler, and controller, with a sweep width greater than 100 yd in realistic at-sea conditions. In FY98, the program will demonstrate a lightweight, 20-dB modulation, pulse-power acoustic sweeping subsystem (spectrally shaped to specifically emulate the signature of friendly assault craft) operating at greater than 35 kn; and an integrated ALISS (acoustic and magnetic subsystems) installed on a rigid-hull inflatable boat for autonomous influence sweeping of the intended amphibious assault lanes in shallow and very shallow water.

Technical barriers include operation of a superconducting-wire 4 K cryocooler in a high-shock/vibration environment, spectral shaping of acoustic pulse from plasma discharge source, electrode life, and low-drag/high-efficiency operations.

In FY97, the program will demonstrate at-sea deployment of multiple reduced weight (58% lighter than M-58) line charges from a landing craft air cushion (LCAC); effectiveness of a 33% larger surf zone distributed planar explosive array; and a new fire control subsystem allowing line charges and surf zone arrays to be fired at 30-second intervals from outside the surf zone in sea states up to Condition 3. In FY98, the program will demonstrate full-scale deployment of the Beach Zone Array using a truck to simulate the dynamics of the Magic Carpet unmanned deployment glider; and an integrated LCAC breaching system (fire control, line charge, and explosive array subsystems) operating as a part of the JCM ACTD II. In FY99, the program will demonstrate the integrated Magic Carpet Beach Zone Clearance System (full-scale Beach Zone Array deployed by a Magic Carpet glider).

Technical barriers include accurate launch of explosive line charges and distributed arrays from an LCAC in unsteady seas and from an unmanned glider, generation of increased explosive effectiveness from reduced-tonnage arrays, and full expansion of explosive arrays.

In FY97, the program will demonstrate, as part of JCM ACTD I, LLS sea mine identification capability (three times the visual range of current systems); and individual state-of-the-art performance characteristics of the SLS, dual-frequency SAS, and cryogenic SQUID magnetic gradiometer prototype sensors. The DTO will also validate environment-tolerant, long-distance detection performance of the TVSS in shallow-water applications. In FY98, the program will verify compatible, concomitant operation of multiple sensors (acoustic, magnetic, and optical), without deleterious mutual interference and with enhanced discrimination through multisensor signal fusion; and demonstrate, as part of JCM ACTD II, the ability of multisensor packages towed by a remotely operated semisubmersible vehicle to perform clandestine high-speed sea mine reconnaissance. FY99 activities will quantify verification of enhanced mine classification/ identification versus false detections through the use of multisensor fusion. Transition of matured acoustic/optical sensor technologies to sensors P³I for the Remote Minehunting System (RMS) program will occur during the same period.

Technical barriers include increased coverage rate (higher speeds/longer detection ranges) of sensors with a lower false alarm rate; high-noise acoustic, magnetic, and electro-optic environment; bottom penetration for buried mine detection/classification; suppression of surface/ bottom reverberation; and real-time processing and fusion of large data sets from multiple sensors.

In FY97, the program will evaluate and integrate FLIR technology into a single system for static testing against antitank and antipersonnel mines with a 98% P_d and a false alarm rate of less than 0.2/m of forward progress. In FY98, the goal is to demonstrate potential payoffs for increased standoff detection in all weather conditions using advanced FLIR and SLR technologies. The FY99 goal is to investigate acoustic and seismic technologies as an additional means of enhancing the performance of the ground-based detection systems. In FY00, the program will demonstrate multisensor ability to detect mines remotely at speeds of 5-20 km/hr; and, in FY01, will integrate these technologies onto a surrogate ground-based platform and conduct advanced mine detection demonstrations.

Technical barriers include algorithms to distinguish mines from clutter; requirements to operate in diverse environments, terrain, and soils at maneuver speed; excessive false alarm rate; and detection of small, nonmetallic mines.

In FY98, the Lightweight Airborne Multispectral Countermine Detection System (LAMIDS) will explore concepts and technology to support a lightweight, airborne standoff mine detection capability for limited area (point) detection, limited corridor route reconnaissance, and detection of nuisance mines. The program will investigate a variety of new component and FPA technologies such as 3-5-µm staring FPA, passive polarization, multi-/hyperspectral imaging, active sources, and electronic stabilization to support a lightweight limited capability. In FY99, the goal is to complete study efforts and initiate critical component development; in FY00, to complete development of sensors, mine detection algorithm, and processor modification; and in FY01, to complete integration on a tactical UAV and conduct a demonstration of the system. The major milestone for LAMIDS is to complete a proposed ATD in FY01.

Technical barriers include weight minimization, detection of small mines and targets, discrimination of clutter from targets, and data compression.