Submarine ES System RF Groom & Certification

US Navy submarine forces currently employ an independent team who typically conduct in excess of 60 man-days to test, measure, calibrate and certify radio frequency (RF) signal paths. Ships personnel have no means of self-calibrating or performing an operational verification of their Electronic Surveillance suites once underway. The SEA CORP Team proposes to develop innovative technologies to provide an Organic Groom and Certification System (OGCS). The proposed conceptual design will be incorporated as an independent modulation module and RF source for the testing of the complete frequency spectrum of the submarines periscope. Testing objectives will include an approach for adapting calibration waveforms and modulation formats for Specific Emitter Identification (SEID) and Low Probability of Intercept (LPI), as well as accurate measurement of degradation in the RF path and front end components in the form of group delay, gain/loss measurements, and system attenuation. The Team will develop test methodology for calculating energy levels at sensor antennas and across the RF path, through development of correction tables that can be applied to the individual ES subsystems. The Option portion will analyze the ability to conduct a Radiated RF test between a Mission Configurable Mast and the Periscope system under test.