Global Positioning System (GPS) Jammer Threat Homing Munition Guidance System

With the proliferation of guided weapon delivery systems and munitions, there is a very strong reliance on integrated Inertial Navigation System (INS) / Global Positioning System (GPS) guidance systems to provide accurate position, velocity, and time (PVT) information. If GPS information is denied, the only source of guidance is the INS system, which is subject to drift and other errors, resulting in degraded performance. When GPS is denied, the performance of these weapons is dramatically reduced, to the point where they may be totally ineffective. To deny GPS, simple L-Band jammers can be used by the enemy. This problem is further exacerbated by the fact that the cost associated with a medium powered GPS jammer is small compared to the cost of most weapons. Multiple GPS jammers can be placed strategically around a target of interest, and can be very effective at denying detection of the target of interest. The solution to this problem is to develop a munition / submunition concept that can be launched from an unmanned airborne vehicle (UAV) from a range of 50 nmi., remain airborne for over 20 minutes, and detect and kill a 10-watt GPS threat, located within an uncertainty region of 5 km. The goal is to detect isolate, home-on, and kill the single threat transmitting the maximum signal with each submunition. Mustang's proposed solution to this problem addresses the requirements for adequate angular separation (to resolve multiple emitters), a small, low-cost weapon delivery system (i.e., munition / submunition that can be carried by an UAV), and a fuzing / warhead solution that can produce an acceptable probability of kill (Pk). Simple monopulse processing will not be sufficient to resolve the multiple emitters. An adaptive processing approach is required. To meet the requirements for both a small platform and high angular resolution at L-Band, a trade study must be executed between the adaptive antenna placement and the munition / submunition size and shape, in order to determine the "best-value" solution to the Government.