Materials/Techniques for Small/Dense Global Positioning System (GPS) Antenna Arrays

Successful operation on the present day battlefield is critically dependent on the utilization of Global Positioning Systems (GPS), while jamming of the GPS signal may limit the viability of systems that rely on high levels of GPS accuracy. Air based weapons and aircraft require Anti-Jam (AJ) technology that is dynamic from the standpoint of creating nulls in the direction of the jammer while minimizing the impact to satellite visibility. For air based platforms, line-of-sight (LOS) to the jammer is constantly changing, thus creating a dynamic environment for the AJ system to adapt to ground based jammers. In this arena, the utilization of a controlled reception pattern array (CRPA) is frequently employed to provide a reasonable level of anti-jam protection while providing usable GPS reception. These CRPA systems employ large circular arrays (frequently up to 13 inch diameter), and require very expensive, complicated electronics packages for maintaining nulls in the direction of potentially multiple jamming. Spectra Research proposes an innovative approach to accomplishing the program objectives for improved compact controlled reception pattern arrays (CRPAs) and the development of ultra small low cost GPS jamming suppression systems by employing advances in fragmented aperture antenna designs, metamaterials, and its extensive advanced modeling capabilities.