Dr. Thomas J. Walls is a research physicist at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in Washington, D.C., specializing in autonomous sensor management and multi-intelligence (multi-INT) payload systems. His work centers on integrating electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors with other tactical modalities for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR).
Role and Research Focus
Organizational Affiliation. He serves within the Optical Sciences Division (Applied Optics Branch) at NRL, where he has led the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Systems Section.
Autonomous Multi-INT Systems. His primary research involves real-time autonomous sensor coordination and data fusion. He develops software and sensor management architectures that enable EO/IR, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), hyperspectral imagery (HSI), and signals intelligence (SIGINT) payloads to work together automatically on unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
Key Naval Programs. Dr. Walls led the Tactical Electro-Optical/Infrared/Signals Intelligence/Synthetic Aperture Radar Integrated for Targeting (TEISIT) program, an Office of Naval Research (ONR) Future Naval Capability initiative. He has also contributed to the FEATHAR (Fusion, Exploitation, Algorithms, and Targeting for High-Altitude Reconnaissance) program for small unmanned platforms. ]
Background and Recognition
Education. He earned a Ph.D. in physics from Stony Brook University (2008) and a B.S. in physics from The College of William & Mary (1999). Awards. In 2018, the Department of the Navy recognized Dr. Walls with a Top Scientists and Engineers of the Year Award (Emergent Engineer category) for his leadership in developing and flight-testing autonomous multi-INT payloads for Group III unmanned aircraft.