GNSS Antenna Arrays for Situational Awareness

ABSTRACT: Global navigation satellite system (GNSS) antenna arrays can be used to determine the geolocation of GNSS emitters. Knowledge of the location of these emitters will enhance the situational awareness (SA) of weapon systems and improve their effectiveness. In the proposed effort, Toyon Research Corporation proposes to design and fabricate a five-inch, five-element GNSS CRPA. Also, we will produce a five-element distributed aperture arrangement. The proposed effort will build on existing development at Toyon, in which a fourteen-inch, seven-element GNSS CRPA will be released as an off-the-shelf product by October 2013. Toyon will use direction-finding algorithms developed in-house to estimate the angle of arrival (AOA) of GNSS emitters using both simulated and measured manifold data of each array. The AOA information will be used to geolocate the GNSS emitter. BENEFIT: Toyon"s proposed Phase I SBIR effort includes a study of the geolocating performance of small CRPAs, of large CRPAs, and of a distributed aperture array. Toyon is proficient at both fabricating CRPA prototypes and implementing angle of arrival algorithms. The result of this SBIR effort will be an effective geolocating system ready for integration onto new or existing platforms. The new system will enhance the situational awareness and effectiveness of weapon systems.