SBIR-STTR Award

Innovative Defensive ECM (DECM) techniques are required to reduce the number of shots a threat SAM/AAA can accurately fire on VERTOL/VSTOL aircraft to improve their survivability. This project is focused on providing innovative self-defense DECM solutions to protect tilt rotor aircraft that offer a large RCS target to SAM/AAA weapons in close-in engagements. The RF aspect of the problem is addressed for large RCS, slow moving, non-maneuvering targets during take-off and landing, and selected ingress/egress profiles. The project investigates DRFM signature control techniques, high speed/high power switching devices, waveform synthesis, Active Element Arrays (AEA), fiber optics, wideband LNA's HFET and HBT solid state devices and emerging technology on DECM concept designs. The project in Phase I develops a DECM concept design, and recommends a prototype laboratory system to be developed for Phase II validation, closed loop simulation, or advanced technical demonstration.

The current baseline countermeasures system for the V-22 is the APR-39A RWR, the AAR-47 MWR, the AVR-2 LWR, and the ALE-47 Countermeasures Dispenser. The ATRJ is considered the future RF jamming system for the V-22. Additionally, the aircraft has a low resolution forward looking infra-red (FLIR), and it is planned that the CV-22 will have a terrain following/terrain avoidance (TFTA) radar. During Phase I, Raven, Inc. developed a conceptual design using ESM amplitude/phase measurement antennas to provide full 2 to 18 GHz radar detection along with fine angle of arrival (AOA) in the upper portion of that band. A wide band low cost multifunction radar array will provide all weather low resolution imaging, and TFTA, and also provide high power ECM in the forward quadrant. The design accomplishes this by carefully accounting for the information updates required to provide the SAR and TFTA functions, effective ECM modulation techniques. The proposed affordable multifunction concept, including ESM, ECM, IRCM, and radar is expected to weight under 300 pounds. This is a significant savings, considering ATRJ alone installed, without ATIRCM, is expected to weight 250 pounds.