Digital Signal Processing in Radar Altimeters

This SBIR proposal defines a low risk approach to investigate the analog altimeter currently deployed in the BLU-108 precision strike submunition in operation by the US Air Force. The goal of the effort is to perform an analysis of the current altimeter system algorithm and its use of the Frequency Modulated Continuous Waveform (FMCW) and to identify potential engineering changes that will result in a more cost effective system. One potential method of cost reduction will be to use a Digital Signal Processing (DSP) architecture which may employ either a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). Beside the potential cost reduction, weight and power requirements may also be realizable through the use of these DSP techniques. Once an investigation of the current analog altimeter is complete and an equivalent DSP design is defined, a software model of the new system will be developed and tested to demonstrate its desired functionality. Finally a hardware implementation study will be performed that will assess complexity and design feasibility and reduce the risk associated with constructing the digital altimeter during a phase II follow on.