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Areté Associates is a world leader in the development and production of advanced active and passive electro-optical (EO) sensors.

Areté develops a suite of 3-D LIDAR systems based on STIL that are used to detect sea mines from a variety of airborne and underwater-borne platforms. These systems provide high-resolution 3-D images of small targets at significant ranges, even in extremely murky water. We are continuously developing new methods to exploit the unique capabilities of STIL technology. Areté is also investing in new all-solid-state methods to reduce the size, power, and weight of these high-resolution devices. These and other advanced developments will open up the world of active 3-D
imaging to a host of smaller, more diverse set of platforms.

Areté has developed a novel, high-resolution patented 3-D imaging technology called Streak Tube Imaging LIDAR (STIL). This laser-based imaging technology provides extremely precise 3-D measurement resolution - even in the presence of highly scattering media; such as turbid ocean water, atmospheric obscurants, and human tissue. STIL technology has been exploited in a number of active remote sensing systems that require extremely high 3-D resolution to detect targets in highly cluttered environments.

Areté is continuously branching out into new arenas by investing in the development critical of EO technologies and components. Areté is currently developing capabilities in such areas as Flash LIDAR receivers, MEMs based EO systems and components, Advanced solid-state lasers and Directed Energy sources.

Areté Associates Optical Engineering Division in Tucson, Arizona, contains a state-of-the-art production facility that provides a continuous flow between receiving, kitting, assembly, sub-assembly acceptance testing, integration, top-level acceptance testing and sell-off, and packaging and shipment. The production facility has recently been thoroughly retooled and contains precision alignment and radiometric calibration capabilities. The site is currently being used for production of Areté’s mine identification system EOID for AN/AQS-20A and is slated for production of Areté’s ALMDS.

 

ISO Certification

The quality system at Areté Associate’s Tucson, Arizona, production facility has been certified by the International Organization for Standardization to ISO 9001 since 2002, providing an integrated process from contract review through product delivery. Compliance with these procedures will assure consistent and repeatable delivery of superior systems.

Quality discipline is the responsibility of all employees. Management is committed to providing the resources, training, and oversight to ensure that quality procedures are consistently applied. Management also provides our quality representatives with the authority to independently verify compliance with quality procedures. A closed loop corrective action plan provides a mechanism for continuous quality improvement. All employees are encouraged to identify areas for improvement.

New employees are indoctrinated into the Areté Quality Policy as part of their initial employee orientation, and quality awareness is reinforced through annual briefings. The employee’s supervisor will identify and provide specific quality training, as required by job assignment. Employee briefing and training records are maintained by the Human Resources department.

Areté’s production facility is currently certified to ISO-9001:2000.

CMM

Areté Associates takes pride in its software development processes and procedures, and Areté is committed to developing quality software. As such, Areté’s Tucson production facility embarked on a process improvement effort that led to the Tucson office being assessed at Maturity Level 2 of the Software Engineering Institute’s (SEI) Capability Maturity Model (CMM) for software in October of 2002. This assessment was based on the results of a CMM-Based Appraisal for Internal Process Improvement (CBA IPI); the appraisal was conducted in full compliance with SEI’s CMM Appraisal Framework (CAF) and the CBA IPI Method Description. Areté’s Signal and Information Processing Division in Northridge, California, is likewise involved with software process improvement and is looking towards being assessed later in 2008 at Capability Level 2 of SEI’s Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) for software in the process areas of Configuration Management and Requirements Management.

Areté strives to continue maturing its software development process to provide the highest quality products to its customers.