The present disclosure provides for a system and method for detecting explosives and other materials in a sample scene. First interacted photons are produced from a target area wherein the first interacted photons are generated via solar radiation. The first interacted photons are assessed to thereby generate a SWIR hyperspectral image. The SWIR hyperspectral image is analyzed to identify an area of interest likely of comprising an explosive material. The area of interest is illuminated using laser light illumination to generate second interacted photons from the area of interest. These second interacted photons are assessed to determine whether it not an explosive material is present in the area of interest. The system and method may be configured in standoff, OTM, static and UGV configurations.