Quantitative assessments leveraging effects based analysis for degraded PNT

ABSTRACT: PreTalen recognizes that an ongoing challenge facing the Department of Defense (DOD) and civil/commercial PNT users is the understanding of how integrated systems are impacted by degradation of key information. PNT information is a cornerstone technology that supports increased operational efficiency, productivity, precision, and safety. Because Global Positioning System (GPS) provides such a low cost and accurate method for determining PNT information, our reliance on GPS systems is critical. While some users may understand the need for a backup system, there is no clear method to determine requirements for a backup system to achieve graceful degradation. The problem is confounded by the multiplicity of applications and use of PNT information in each system that is reliant upon GPS. A clear understanding of how the integrated system (host and PNT) uses this data and the resulting effects from a degraded situation requires an in-depth investigation to fully comprehend potential impacts. Currently there is no tool or standardized methodology to evaluate or accomplish these types of assessments. The Quantitative Assessments Leveraging Effects-based analysis for degraded PNT [QUALE-PNT] system will fill this void. This HITL test asset includes algorithms for parametric setup and autonomous analysis across numerous degradation types affecting PNT systems. BENEFIT: QUALE-PNT will provide DoD, DHS, DOT and commercial PNT system users, system developers, and product testers an autonomous, repeatable, and reliable method for quantifying how integrated navigation and timing systems are impacted by degradation of key PNT information. Regarding the commercialization potential and the market interest in this technology, the PNT system manufacturers already perform many manual tests on their integrated systems, and have expressed interest in QUALE-PNT. However, they did not want to take on the non-recurring engineering and research and development to create a system like QUALE-PNT. This establishes a unique demand waiting to be filled by a small versatile company like PreTalen. DoD test and acquisition communities also conduct repetitive manual PNT system testing and have stated they would benefit from QUALE-PNT. PreTalen included many of these organizations in their stakeholder base (746th, JNWC, GPSD, Mitre, SAF/AQS). The short answer is, again, that there is a demand for this technology from government and primes, but the primes cannot compete on a price basis with a company like PreTalen.