Systems Development Department

Overview | Capabilities | Products | Current Projects | Past Projects

The Systems Development Department (SDD) supports military, aerospace and commercial customers with focused research and product development. For more than 40 years we have provided an integrated approach to system design and development for our customers. With the invention of the Adaptive Gate Video Tracker in 1963, SDD established itself as a leader in Video Tracking and Image Processing. Our leadership continues today with the latest patented tracking technology, “The Conformal Gate Tracker”. Stabilized Platforms or inertially stabilized gimbal systems and turrets along with Airborne Instrumentation and Test Equipment round out our strengths. SDD offers standard products in these areas as well as custom design for your applications.

In recent years, SDD has applied its expertise in these areas to several new developmental efforts, including:

• Missile Seeker for the Army’s Low Cost Interceptor. The program objective is the development of a single-axis radar missile seeker. SDD is responsible for the development of the gimbal and controller for this system.
• NASA’s WB-57 Airborne Video Experiment (WAVE). The objective of this program was to develop a high-altitude imaging asset for acquiring video of the Space Shuttle during ascent and landing. SDD led the overall system development of the turret, aircraft transition section, the controlling electronics for the video equipment and operator interface.
• DARPA’s (via General Atomics) Standoff Precision ID in 3-D (SPI-3D). The program is for the development and demonstration of the ability to provide high-resolution 3-D images, at long range, “radar standoff with optical quality”. SDD developed a stabilized Mirror Gimbal Assembly (MGA) and system controller.
• SAR Gimbals. SDD has developed a line of one, two, and three-axis gimbals for pointing and stabilizing SAR antennas. These systems have been tested to 50,000 feet altitude.
Redstone Technical Test Center chose SDD to develop the Stabilized Electro-optical Airborne Instrumentation Platform (SEAIP) for their range instrumentation and characterization platforms. These four-axis turret systems are fully configurable for a variety of seeker and test asset testing.

SDD is available to support its customers with an experienced technical staff, in-house machine shop, low-rate initial production facilities and extensive test facilities, including vibration and temperature testing. ISO 9001 registered, SDD is committed to customer satisfaction and takes pride in delivering "best cost" solutions to complex technical challenges.

Overview | Capabilities | Products | Current Projects | Past Projects