Networkable Far-Target Locator for Man-Portable Missile Launcher

Toyon Research Corporation proposes to develop a low-cost, lightweight, networkable far-target locator for the command launch unit (CLU) of the Javelin anti-armor weapon system. The proposed Small, Tactical, Attitude-aided, Robust Locator for Enhanced Targeting (STARLET) will interface with the CLU and provide the location of the target selected by the gunner and transmit the target image along with the target position via a standard radio interface. The STARLET system will include a novel GPS-based attitude (GPS/A) sensor that will augment a digital compass subsystem and automate the magnetometer calibration process, thus reducing the operator workload and significantly improving the system performance. All system sensors, including all in-phase (I) and quadrature-phase (Q) GPS signals for each satellite, will be fused together using an ultra-tightly coupled (UTC) architecture making the system inherently robust to interference and the resulting target position more accurate. The GPS/A sensor will include a small anti-jam (AJ) GPS antenna that will further improve the interference suppression capability of the system. The STARLET system will be designed to closely interface with the Javelin CLU. During the Phase I effort Toyon will identify the system requirements, evaluate candidate components, fully define the system architecture and determine the predicted system performance and cost.