The U.S. military historically relied on active, monostatic radar for long range, noncooperative detection and localization of targets. Our adversaries counter this capability by exploiting radar emissions, which reduces the effectiveness of monostatic radar and makes U.S. platforms vulnerable to engagement. Passive bistatic radar (PBR) architectures that exploit existing transmitters in the environment, i.e., illuminators of opportunity (IO), were developed to enable covert target surveillance and increase resilience to jamming, at a lower overall SWAP-C compared to monostatic systems. PBR systems utilize as illuminators numerous transmitters for telecommunications, radionavigation, FM radio, digital video broadcasting-television (DVB-T), cellular base stations employing GSM or LTE, Global Positioning System (GPS), as well as LEO/GEO satellite transmissions. This SBIR topic will develop a passive bistatic radar architecture leveraging SIGINT receiver technology leading to a more global, persistent, resilient, and robust long range surveillance capability for the Navy. Incorporating SIGINT receivers into PBR architectures provides a number of advantages including: wide operational bandwidth supporting simultaneous IO collection leading to greater flexibility and utility, multi-element apertures each with a wide instantaneous field of view that eliminates issues with scan-on-scan or pulse chasing for directional transmitters/receivers in traditional systems, and more complete data capture over whole anticipated parametric range enabling growth with future IOs. Azure Summit Technology, Inc.s (Azure's) solution leverages Azure innovations as well as capabilities and technology components developed in our current and prior efforts with the Navy, Air Force, and other agencies: -Azures modular, scalable, and flexible Switchblade Low SWaP-C Intelligent Digital RF Transceiver family is the basis for PMA-290s SIGINT/ELINT Common, High-band and Low-band Chassis. Switchblade provides the high dynamic range receiver needed for simultaneous reception of multiple direct and scatter paths for passive radar. Azure has also developed a wideband receiver module that covers the full range of legacy, modern, and emerging illuminators of opportunity. -Azures Bistatic Vector Cross Ambiguity Function (BVCAF) algorithm simultaneously suppresses strong direct path interference, detects weak bistatic target reflections, and estimates its range, Doppler, and bearing for target localization and characterization. This processing is done jointly and blindly eliminating the need for a known reference signal for direct path cancellation and weak target detection/localization. -Azure will leverage its advanced SIGINT/ELINT receiver hardware and processing capabilities to develop architectures for Navy long range passive radar surveillance architectures that leverage existing and future Navy SIGINT/ELINT assets and enable PBR using legacy, modern, and emerging IO.
Benefit: Azure Summit Technology, Inc. (Azure) is ideally positioned to rapidly transition our automatic recognition and aperture sharing technology to the Navy and the rest of DoD. For this effort, Azure will use Switchblade hardware to demonstrate the feasibility of our BVCAF algorithms as it would be implemented in a PBR system using existing SIGINT receivers and antennas, providing a ready transition path for LRPSAADE capabilities to operational Navy systems. The ability to use existing SIGINT systems for PBR provides rich opportunities for transition. Azures Switchblade family of Intelligent Transceivers was developed for NAVAIR PMA-290 and is the basis of the Navys Common Chassis as well as High-band and Low-band chassis. The Common Chassis system is an ideal transition path since that system is being integrated into numerous platforms. Shipboard SIGINT systems such as SSEE Inc F (for which Azure is the prime contractor) and Spectral would also be suitable for Azures design. As a product development, system integration, and R&D organization, Azures strategy for commercialization is to develop and incubate new disruptive technology in-house, and to transition them to Program of Record systems either directly or through our many partnerships. Azures capabilities include design (algorithm, HW, and SW), prototyping, test and demonstration, productionize, manufacturing, automated test, technical service and support. Both of our facilities, in Fairfax, Virginia, and Melbourne, Florida, include lab space, automated test equipment, and supporting engineering and technician staff to conduct production-related activities.
Keywords: Intelligent Transceiver, Intelligent Transceiver, Illuminators of Opportunity, SIGINT, Bistatic Vector Cross Ambiguity Function, Passive Bi-static Radar, Radar, ELINT
