Günter van Keuk (1939-2003) and the Evolution of Data Fusion Research in Germany

Multiple sensor data fusion and adaptive sensor resources management are key technologies for realizing modern aerospace and electronic systems, researched by the information fusion community. In October 2023, on the 20th anniversary of the death of Günter van Keuk, one of its pioneers, we recall aspects of the early history of this branch of applied computer science in the German defense domain. In 2023 also the Fraunhofer Institute for Communications, Information Processing, and Ergonomics (FKIE) looks back on 60 years of one of its roots, the Research Institute for Radio and Mathematics (FFM), van Keuk's scientific home, as well as on 60 years of target tracking in Germany, which has led to FFM's foundation in 1963.