Non-collinear Wave-front Curvature Range Measurement

The U.S. submarine force strongly desires an improved situational awareness and a collision avoidance capability based on intercept of active emissions and detection of passive broadband signals. Our Phase I SBIR focused on the development of rapid 3D(range, bearing and depth) localization solution against active emissions detected on existing submarine sensors. The results of our Phase I study showed that accurate 3D localization solutions are achievable out to tactically significant ranges againstactive or passive sources in a 360-degree field of view provided that the active emission or passive signal is detected on at least four spatially separated sensors. Our Phase II SBIR focuses on the development and at-sea testing of a real timenon-collinear wavefront curvature ranging system. The real time system will use the SONARTECH/ATLAS Intercept Ranging and Detection System (IDRS) hardware and time difference of arrival (TDOA) estimation techniques as the basis for the SBIR Phase IIprototype system. Additional TDOA processing channels and interfaces will be added to this baseline system to accommodate existing and new sensors on a 688I class submarine. The non-collinear wavefront curvature ranging algorithm developed in Phase I willbe implemented in the IDRS hardware system. Additional displays and controls will be added to accommodate the increased number of processing channels. A graphical target motion analysis (TMA) algorithm will also be implemented to determine the velocity ofthe source of the active emissions. Finally, a Signal Feature Extractor (SFE) will be developed and implemented to determine the salient features of complex active emissions. The Phase II Option focuses on the estimation of the TDOAs against these complexactive emissions. In the option, the SFE will be implemented and integrated with match filter and replica correlators to determine the TDOAs associated with the complex active emissions. BENEFITS: MIKEL, INC is in a unique position to develop an improvedactive intercept system with the potential to form the basis of an improved situational awareness and collision avoidance capability. This is because MIKEL, INC has expertise in time delay estimation, non-collinear wavefront curvature ranging techniquesand in the development of target motion analysis (TMA) algorithms and has a close professional relationship with SONARTECH/ATLAS, an expert in the development of real time TDOA estimation and wavefront curvature ranging systems (PIPRS and IDRS). Webelieve that a military commercialization opportunity may be available based on the technology developed and implemented under this SBIR. This opportunity would involve the transition of this technology to improved active intercept systems being consideredfor all classes of U.S. submarines, The initial customers would be PMS 415, PMS 425 and PMS 450. In addition, the results of this SBIR have applicability to commercial systems involving the detection and tracking of marine mammals, ocean exploration andharbor defense for Homeland Security. Because we will be co-located with commercial research activities within the University of Massachusetts Advanced Technology Manufacturing Center, we will be in contact with industry and university experts in relatedfields which will allow for possible collaboration in the commercial sector.