(U) Advanced Electro-Optical Warning Sensor (AEOWS)

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)

Overview: (U)
(U) The Advanced Electro-Optical Warning Sensor (AEOWS) is a space based surveillance and threat warning system to be deployed in  low earth orbits (LEO); possibly as a pre-planned product improvement (P3I) to Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) LOW.  

Description: (U)
(U)  The AEOWS consists of a visible scanning sensor and a medium-wave infrared (MWIR) staring sensor.

(U)  The visible Sensor builds upon the SBIRS LOW design, and will detect theater ballistic missiles (TBMs) during their boost phase, through clouds, using a sodium and/or potassium Fraunhofer-wavelength atomic resonance filter (ARF) for sunlight suppression.  The MWIR staring sensor will detect slow moving cruise missile (CM) type targets using advanced sensors technology to achieve higher sensitivity and advanced signal processing algorithms to eliminate earth background noise.  Both sensors can be implemented as an integrated sensor suite on the same platform or as separate sensor suites on different platforms. There is also a strong possibility that one or both of these advanced sensors could be a pre-planned product improvement (P3I) to the SBIRS LOW satellite.  Also, the MWIR staring sensor can be implemented as an adjunct sensor with space based radar to solve nadir hole problems and provide a second phenomenology.

(U)  The recommended candidate constellation for implementing theAEOWS is SBIRS LOW because it provides a continuous world-wide access capability.  Implementing the AEOWS concept on SBIRS LOW requires the addition of a visible focal plane and an atomic resonance filter (ARF) into the existing SWIR scanning sensor. 

User Impact: (U)
(U) To be supplied.

Programmatics: (U)
(U) Operational/Programmable.
	(U) FOC: 10/2009 (1QFY2010).

(U) Organizations and Funding:
	(U) Air Force.

Related Initiatives: (U)
(U) SBIRS High, SBIRS High NUDET Package

Related Requirements: (U)
(U) None.

Related Categories: (U)
(U) Space-Based Warning

Road Map Placements: (U)
(U) National Security Space Road Map, SURVEILLANCE AND WARNING.

Lead Office: (U)
(U) Air Force.

Date of Information: (U)
29 June 1998

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)