A multi-spectral tactical integrated scene generation capability using satellite terrain imagery is currently available using
a synthetic predictive simulation code developed by the Munitions Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory
(AFRL/RWGGS). This capability produces multi-spectral integrated scene imagery from the perspective of a
sensor/seeker for an air-to-ground scenario using geo-referenced U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Digital Terrain
Elevation Data (DTED) and satellite terrain imagery. The produced imagery is spatially, spectrally, and temporally
accurate. Using surveillance flight path and viewing angle, this capability has been interfaced with Microsoft Virtual
Earth to extract terrain data of interest at the needed background resolution.
KEYWORDS: Databases, Sensors, Visualization, 3D modeling, Data modeling, Computer simulations, Environmental sensing, Visual process modeling, Motion models, Systems modeling
One of the key aspects for the design of a next generation weapon system is the need to operate in cluttered and complex
urban environments. Simulation systems rely on accurate representation of these environments and require automated
software tools to construct the underlying 3D geometry and associated spectral and material properties that are then
formatted for various objective seeker simulation systems. Under an Air Force Small Business Innovative Research
(SBIR) contract, we have developed an automated process to generate 3D urban environments with user defined
properties. These environments can be composed from a wide variety of source materials, including vector source data,
pre-existing 3D models, and digital elevation models, and rapidly organized into a geo-specific visual simulation
database. This intermediate representation can be easily inspected in the visible spectrum for content and organization
and interactively queried for accuracy. Once the database contains the required contents, it can then be exported into
specific synthetic scene generation runtime formats, preserving the relationship between geometry and material
properties. To date an exporter for the Irma simulation system developed and maintained by AFRL/Eglin has been
created and a second exporter to Real Time Composite Hardbody and Missile Plume (CHAMP) simulation system for
real-time use is currently being developed. This process supports significantly more complex target environments than
previous approaches to database generation. In this paper we describe the capabilities for content creation for advanced
seeker processing algorithms simulation and sensor stimulation, including the overall database compilation process and
sample databases produced and exported for the Irma runtime system. We also discuss the addition of object dynamics
and viewer dynamics within the visual simulation into the Irma runtime environment.
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