SHARP Enhancements for Expanded FORCEnet Interoperability

The Shared Reconnaissance Pod (SHARP) provides the U.S. Navy with the latest digital tactical reconnaissance capability. The SHARP can be mounted on multiple airborne platforms and utilizes an electro-optical/infrared sensor system to provide high resolution imagery in support of time sensitive strike requirements. NAVAIR wishes to extend the interoperability of the SHARP pod through the incorporation of CDL Annex B network capabilities, thus making the SHARP imagery available to a larger number of surface terminals, while enabling FORCEnet capabilities. Barron Associates, in conjunction with L-3 Communication Systems-West and Space Dynamics Laboratory, proposes to develop SHARP Enhancements for Expanded FORCEnet Interoperability, which will expand the interoperability of SHARP through the development of FORCENet-enabling technologies, greatly increasing the number of surface terminals that are able to receive the SHARP product. The data compression and bridging technologies proposed herein as part of this SHARP TCP/IP FORCEnet enabling effort represent the most efficient and cost-effective solution to the solicitation and will allow data to be received as Ethernet/GFP CDL Annex B type data at 45 Mbps, or as existing 6 channel 274 Mbps FORCEnet data for fleet dissemination on ship and surface LANs providing connectivity among U.S. Navy assets to improve overall combat effectiveness.BENEFITS: The expanded interoperability of the enhanced SHARP would increase the program's exposure and its utility throughout the fleet and other US Navy assets. The increased demand and exposure would drive interest in applying the innovations developed under this SBIR both to similar communications challenges on other programs and to future modifications to the SHARP to accommodate other data formats. The innovations would also be of keen interest to other military agencies as well as commercial entities for high data rate wireless communication within a network architecture. In particular, the Ethernet/GFP-based system could be applied to the routing of high data rate information through an ad hoc sensor network.