COVERT LOCATION AND IDENTIFICATION COMMUNICATOR (CLIC)

THIS PROPOSAL PRESENTS A PLAN FOR DEVELOPING A LOW-COST, HAND-HELD COVERT LOCATION AND IDENTIFICATION COMMUNICATOR (CLIC) TO ENHANCE THE SURVIVABILITY OF LIGHT INFANTRY ARTILLERY SPOTTERS,PATROLS, AND SPECIAL OPERATIONS UNITS. THIS DEVICE WILL INCREASE THESURVIVABILITY OF COMBAT UNITS OPERATING AHEAD OF FRIENDLY LINES BY PROVIDING TO THEM THE ABILITY TO TRANSMIT THEIR CODED IDENTIFICATION ANDLOCATION, AND THE LOCATION AND TYPES OF ENEMY FORCES DISCOVERED. IT USES A TECHNIQUE THAT IS UNDETECTABLE BY AN ENEMY EQUIPPED WITH CONVENTIONAL ELECTRONIC SIGNAL INTERCEPT AND LOCATING EQUIPMENT. CLIC COMMUNICATES USING INVISIBLE ULTRA VIOLET (UV) LIGHT, MODULATED (PULSE POSITION MODULATION) IN VERY SHORT PULSES FORMING AN ENCRYPTED DIGITAL MESSAGE CONTAINING THE NECESSARY INFORMATION. THE PROPERTIES OF UV PROPAGATION THROUGH THE ATMOSPHERE ARE SUCH THAT SIGNALS ARE DETECTABLE AT REASONABLE RANGES (UP TO A FEW KILOMETERS) WHEN THE TRANSMITTER IS APPROXIMATELY POINTED AT THE RECEIVER (DIRECT LINE-OF-SIGHT IS NOT REQUIRED). HOWEVER, THE UV SIGNALS ARE DETECTABLE AT ONLY A SHORT DISTANCE WHEN THE RECEIVER IS LOCATED TO THE SIDE OF, OR BEHIND THE TRANSMITTER. REMAINING COVERT WHILE TRANSMITTING NECESSARY INFORMATION TO FRIENDLY FORCES, AND PROPERLY IDENTIFYING THEMSELVES AND THEIR POSITION TO AVOID MISTAKEN ATTACK BY FRIENDLY FORCES, IS NECESSARY FOR THE SURVIVALOF UNITS OPERATING AHEAD OF FRIENDLY LINES. ANTICIPATED BENEFITS/POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS - THE PROPOSED CLIC SYSTEM ENHANCES BOTH THE SURVIVABILITY AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INFANTRY SOLDIERS OPERATING AHEAD OF FRIENDLY LINES BY PROVIDING REAL-TIME COVERT COMMUNICATIONS ABILITY. IT IS UNDETECTABLE BY EXISTING FIELDED LASER LOCATION EQUIPMENT, AND IS AUDIBALLY SILENT. IT IS INEXPENSIVE, AND HAS POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE "WAR ON DRUGS."