National imagery interpretation rating system and the probabilities of detection, recognition, and identification

A large number of electro-optical (EO) and IR sensors are used on military platforms such as ground vehicles, low-altitude air ve- hicles, high-altitude air vehicles, and satellite systems. Ground vehicle and low-altitude air vehicle (rotary and fixed-wing aircraft) sensors typi- cally use the probabilities of discrimination (detection, recognition, and identification) as design requirements and system performance indica- tors. High-altitude air vehicles and satellite sensors have traditionally used national imagery interpretation rating system (NIIRS) performance measures for guidance in design and measures of system performance. Data from the high-altitude air vehicle and satellite sensors are now be- ing made available to the warfighter for many applications including sur- veillance and targeting. National imagery offices are being merged and restructured to support the warfighters and connectivities to high-altitude air vehicle sensors more effectively. It is becoming more apparent that the gap between the NIIRS approach and the probabilities of discrimina- tion approach must be addressed. Users, engineers, and analysts must have a comparative basis for assessing the image quality between the two classes of sensors. The two approaches are described and com- pared.