Low Elevation Nulling of Global Positioning System (GPS) Jammers for Ground-Based Platforms

The proposed Mayflower Low Elevation Antenna Nuller (M-LEAN) unit consists of a circular array and a miniaturized Digital Antenna Electronics (DAE) module. The DAE module will be implemented with the Mayflower Anti-Jam (AJ) ASIC chip set (“Beacon” RF ASIC and “Vanguard” Digital AJ ASIC) in an integrated assembly compatible with the Army program objectives of small size (less than 27 cubic inches) and low cost (less than $1000) in production. The M-LEAN unit will be a stand-alone GPS AJ system (i.e. no requirement to modify the GPS receiver of the ground-based platform) which is capable of nulling multiple low-elevation jammers to a level in excess of 30 dB for broadband jamming and 40 dB for narrowband jamming. The Phase II R&D effort will: (i) leverage the government investment for developing the Mayflower AJ ASIC chip set in order to implement low-cost antenna electronics; (ii) develop a low-cost microstrip patch array capable of forming a wide, azimuth-symmetric null at low elevations; and (iii) carry out extensive laboratory and field testing in order to demonstrate and deliver an M-LEAN prototype unit that meets the Army program objectives. Successful performance demonstration in Phase II of this prototype will be the basis for developing the final M-LEAN product for the Army in a subsequent Phase III effort.