Sniper Localization using a Helmet Array

The presence of snipers in modern conflicts leads to high insecurity for the soldiers. In order to improve the soldiers protection against this threat, the French-German Institute of Saint-Louis ISL and Rheinmetall Defence Electronics GmbH RDE work together to develop a helmet integrated acoustic array for the detection and localization of snipers .This paper summarizes the results obtained during the collaboration between RDE and the ISL concerning the detection and the localization of the Mach and muzzle waves generated by rifle shots. It summarizes the technical choices that have been made and explains the algorithms that have been presented in Meppen in November 2005. We built three prototypes which showed good performances. The measurements have been made in realistic conditions helicopters and aircrafts flying near the arrays sometimes, the distance microphonesvehicle was smaller than 100 meters, armoured vehicles passing near the arrays, 155mm calibre shots, etc. The estimation of the distance between the shooter and the arrays is made with two different techniques. The first one is usable when several arrays have detected the shot, and the second technique uses the information gathered by one head equipment alone. The results obtained with those two techniques will be discussed in the paper.More than 2000 shots have been detected and localized successfully in real-time. No false alarms have been observed.