SBIR-STTR Award

We propose to research the use of a hit point decoy, attached to the body of aircraft to increase the survivability of aircraft from sholder launched aint-aircraft missiles. The hit point decoy will radiate infrared energy that will cause the attacking missile todeviate its course away from critical aircraft areas and instead, impact the aircraft at a hardened, less critcal point where the aircraft will not be fatally damaged. Our innovation is to propose a decoy that will radiate its IR energy in wavelength band in approximately the same ratio as an aircraft. In the lexion of the countermeasure community, the decoy will have a "color ratio" similar to that of the aircraft. We will research the best hit point location through a parametric analysis of these parameters. 1. The aircraft locations that the hit point decoy must be placed will be researched through computer missile fly out simulations. These points will be ranked for their effectiveness to attrack the decoy. 2. The best hit point locations that will cause minimal damage to the aircraft and passengers/crew will be analyzed. 3. The affect of these locations to aircraft operability and maintainence will be determined. Finally a lab test of numerous material to provide the decoy intensity color ratio will be conducted to determine the best material. Commercial (civil) aircraft will find it imparitive to have a passive, non-hazardeous decoy that will provide survivable protection from terrorist missile threats

The need to protect airliners from terrorist manpad missiles has been underscored by recent events in which missiles were fired at commercial airliners as well as wide body aircraft flying into and out of Baghdad airport. The U.S. Government is looking at military aircraft protection systems in an attempt to extend this military technology to civilian airliners. This phase I SBIR researched a completely new protection concept called aim point biasing (APB) designed specifically for civilian airliner self-protection from MANPAD missiles. APB can provide airliner protection at approximately 6% the cost of the military systems. It has no explosive class B or C components as do some of the proposed protection systems. Our phase I research verified through modeling and simulations that MANPADS missiles will be drawn to the APB infrared sources thereby protecting the aircraft from being impacted at critical flight components such as the engine or wing tanks. Phase II will complete the feasibility demonstration of this research by: 1) designing and fabricating two prototype APB systems (vertical stabilizer pod and winglet) and 2) demonstrating the IR intensity and ruggedness of these prototypes to operate in the airliner environment.