Magnetic Anomaly Detection (MAD) Geomagnetic Reference Sensor

Dynamics Technology, Inc. (DTI) will develop and build a prototype geomagnetic reference sensor system (GRSS) to support advanced magnetic anomaly detection (MAD) for airborne submarine search. The GRSS is an off board system consisting of the reference sensor, auxiliary sensors for noise reduction, a sensor platform, and signal processing and noise reduction algorithms. It will suppress geomagnetic noise increasing the performance of airborne MAD. DTI has identified candidate sensors, auxiliary sensors, platforms, and signal processing and noise reduction algorithms. The candidate platforms are UAV, balloon, or buoy. Each platform has different sensor, auxiliary sensor, signal processing, and noise reduction requirements. A thorough system analysis will reveal the optimum GRSS from among the various candidate systems, and also demonstrate its feasibility. The primary measure of effectiveness will be cost per unit search area. The system analysis will build on DTI-developed system performance tools developed under previous Navy programs. Only after identifying the optimum GRSS will we assemble a prototype development team from the possible hardware vendor partners identified in the system analysis. In Phase 1 we will: (1) perform system analyses based on existing DTI models, (2) identify and characterize candidate sensor, platform, and processor systems and their operational constraints and costs in cooperation with potential vendor partners, (3) demonstrate system feasibility by modeling performance of a system based on identified components using best available sensor platform characteristics and a suitable processor mockup, and (4) determine Phase 2 prototype development requirements and vendor partners based on the feasibility analysis.