Compact Magnetic Detection Set (CMDS) for Air Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW) and Land-Based Use-Phase II.5 Enhancement

The Compact Magnetic Detection Set (CMDS) is an innovative light-weight, compact, low-power laser-pumped helium magnetometer capable of measuring scalar DC and ELF magnetic fields with high sensitivity. The CMDS system has met design goals of reducing system volume, weight and power by a factor of two with respect to AN/ASQ-233 system parameters while retaining the omnidirectionality of the AN/ASQ-233 system. The CMDS is particularly suited as the detection sensor for a small UAV designed for the mission of detection of submarine targets. The current CMDS sensor exhibits a sensor noise floor of 1 pT/Hz, a value which does not meet the design goal of 0.3 pT/Hz. A noise analysis has identified the contributors to the excess noise, which are associated with the small cell size of the CMDS sensor. In the CMDS Phase II Enhancement effort, the CMDS noise floor will be reduced to its design goal of 0.3 pT/Hz. Other improvements addressed in the Phase II Enhancement effort include reduction of sensor maneuver noise, improved algorithmic compensation, mechanical ruggedization and platform integration.