TRANSPORTABLE RF SIMULATOR FOR ESM TEST/TRAINING APPLICATION

AN RF SIMULATION SYSTEM THAT CAN BOTH TEST ELECTRONIC SUPPORT MEASURE (ESM) RECEIVING SYSTEMS AND TRAIN ESM OPERATORS WOULD HAVE MANY ADVANTAGES. THE EQUIPMENT WOULD HAVE TO PRODUCE MULTIPE RF SIGNALS TO TEST RECEIVER FRONT ENDS AS WELL AS SIMULATE A RADAR THREAT ENVIRONMENT TO TRAIN THE OPERATORS. THE NAVY NOW USES THE TRAINING AND MAINTENANCE SYSTEM (TRAMS) FOR THE LATTER PURPOSE. THIS SYSTEM IS ONLY CAPABLE OF DELIVERING BASEBAND VIDEO OUTPUTS WITH DIGITAL SIGNAL INFORMATION. IT CAN TRAIN OPERATORS, BUT IT CANNOT TEST RECEIVER FRONT ENDS. A TRANSPORTABLE RF SIMULATOR IS PROPOSED TO COMPLIMENT TRAMS AND RESULT IN A COMPLETE RF TEST/TRAINING SYSTEM. THIS TRANSLATABLE RF SIMULATOR WILL OPERATE ON ONE OR MORE BASEBAND SIGNALS AND TRANSLATE THEM INTO THE 2 TO 28 GHZ RANGE. IT WILL BE A TRANSPORTABLE SYSTEM THAT CAN BE PROGRAMMABLE, WITH RESPECT TO SIGNAL TYPE, QUANTITY LEVEL AND FREQUENCY. THE PROPOSED PHASE I TRANSPORTABLE RF SIMULATOR PROGRAM WILL ENTAIL THE GENERATION AN COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVE ARCHITECTURES AS WELL AS SPECIFIC MODULATION AND FREQUENCY CONVERSION ELEMENTS, CONTROLS AND DISPLAYS, LEADING TO A PREFERRED CONFIGURATION AND DESIGN SPECIFICATION WHICH WILL FORM THE BASIS OF A PHAS II FOLLOW ON PROPOSAL.