AFRL Develops Alternatives for Maritime Control Published Aug. 29, 2007 By Munitions Directorate AFRL/MN EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Researchers from AFRL and Mustang Technology Group, a radar technology company based in Allen, Texas, are providing the Air Force (AF) a simple and affordable approach for attacking seaborne threats. The AFRL/industry team developed a low-cost seeker known as the FALCON EYE, a small, all-weather, softwareconfigurable active radar seeker that fits in the forward fuze well of many guided weapons, providing the AF the capability to rapidly engage a variety of surface vessels used by enemy combatants, terrorists, and modern-day pirates. By employing the form-factor for proximity sensors used in many general-purpose bombs, the team leveraged results from several development and demonstration programs to facilitate the technology's rapid transition into the AF inventory. The team relied exclusively on industrial-grade, commercial off-the-shelf components, as well as commercial electronics fabrication and assembly processes, to develop the low-cost seeker. Researchers will now work to develop a form-factored front end and data collection tests to support algorithm improvements. Unlike other approaches that require extensive targeting support or weapons that have limited loadouts on few aircraft platforms, the addition of FALCON EYE to a Global Positioning System-guided generalpurpose bomb offers the AF a weapons capability for engaging moving or stationary naval combatants from a wide variety of aircraft platforms. These weapons are easily directed to the area of an individual target or to an engagement grid where any motion of the target will be within the seeker's search region. When delivered by long-range aircraft, the FALCON EYE seeker technology provides commanders the capability to conduct agile maritime interdiction worldwide.