Abstract: A highly-filled paste, and a method and device of de-aerating and injecting the paste, the paste including: (a) a solid filler; (b) an organic binder, and (c) a residual gas, wherein the paste contains at least 80 volume-% of the solid filler and has a viscosity exceeding 100 kilopascal·seconds, wherein the filler, binder, and residual gas are intimately mixed so as to form a substantially homogeneous paste, and wherein a composition of the solid filler, binder, and residual gas is selected such that the homogeneous paste has: an average density greater than 98.5% of a Theoretical Maximum Density (TMD).

Abstract: A method for iterative derivation of a master image from sampled images of non-identical, at least partially overlapping, regions of a scene. The method includes defining a transformation operator mapping positions within the master image to corresponding positions in the sampled image; a distortion operator simulating a modulation transfer function associated with an imaging sensor from which the sampled image was generated; and a sampling operator for reducing an image from the output resolution to the resolution of the sampled image. For each sampled image the transformation operator, distortion operator and sampling operator are applied to a current master image hypothesis to generate a predicted image A difference image is calculated which has pixel values corresponding to the difference in corresponding pixel values between the sampled image and the predicted image. A back-projection of each of the difference images is performed to generate a correction image for the current master image hypothesis.

Abstract: A suspension lug for releasably suspends loads under aircraft. The suspension lug has a lug eye and a threaded base and a rotation mechanism is inserted into the threaded portion. When the suspension lug is threaded into a compatible well in the load and the load is released from the aircraft, the rotation mechanism causes the suspension lug to rotate by ninety degrees from an initial orientation in which the face of the lug eye is pointed in the direction of flight to a final orientation in which the edge of the lug eye is pointed in the direction of flight. The rotation of the lug eye significantly reduces the drag on the load. Also described are methods of manufacturing and using the suspension lug of the invention.

Abstract: An imaging system (30, 30?) and corresponding method has a two-dimensional imaging sensor array (32) and an associated optical system. The optical system includes at least one optical arrangement (34, 36?, 36b) defining a field of view (38?, 38b) of given angular dimensions and an optical switching mechanism (40) for alternately switching an optical axis of the imaging system between two directions (42?, 42b). The optical switching mechanism and the optical arrangement(s) are deployed such that the imaging sensor array generates images of at least two generally non-overlapping fields of view of equal angular dimensions and with diverging optical axes in fixed spatial relation. Rapid switching between the fields of view allows quasi-continuous monitoring of a larger field of view than would otherwise be possible while maintaining sensitivity to transient events. Also disclosed is an infrared search and tracking system based on such imaging systems.

Abstract: A suspension lug for releasably suspends loads under aircraft. The suspension lug has a lug eye and a threaded base and a rotation mechanism is inserted into the threaded portion. When the suspension lug is threaded into a compatible well in the load and the load is released from the aircraft, the rotation mechanism causes the suspension lug to rotate by ninety degrees from an initial orientation in which the face of the lug eye is pointed in the direction of flight to a final orientation in which the edge of the lug eye is pointed in the direction of flight. The rotation of the lug eye significantly reduces the drag on the load. Also described are methods of manufacturing and using the suspension lug of the invention.

Abstract: A method of tracking a target. The method includes the steps of acquiring a first spectral image of a scene that includes the target, designating a spectral reference window, in the first spectral image, that includes a respective plurality of pixel vectors, acquiring a second spectral image, of the scene, that includes a respective plurality of pixel vectors, and hypercorrelating the spectral reference window with the second spectral image, thereby obtaining a hypercorrelation function, a maximum of the hypercorrelation function then corresponding to a location of the target in the scene.