Low Cost, General Purpose Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Radar Fuze

A low-cost radar fuze is proposed based on an innovative impuse-generated Ultra-Wideband (UWB) source developed by ANRO Engineering, Inc. (ANRO) under IR&D Funds. The new source offers simplicity of design and implementation, and inherent jam resistance and low probability of intercept properties. UWB waveforms provide superior range accuracy and resolution, which permits precise timing control for the detonation of warheads. ANRO has recently been allowed a patent for a very low-cost (less than $100), solid state, 1 kilowatt UWB transmitter source with a 1 nanosecond pulse duration and up to 35 kHz pulse repetition rate. Comparable breakthrough improvements in impulse receiver technology by ANRO provide the basis for the development of a highly effective fuze for advanced smart munitions. This Phase I effort will accomplish exploratory development of an innovative highly accurate, robust radar fuze that is unconstrained by weather and jamming. The development of the sensor will be based upon previous successful efforts exploiting UWB technology by ANRO. A brassboard transmitter/receiver using a modified antenna array will be designed, built and tested to form the basis of the sensor. Field tests are also proposed as an option under Phase I with AF personnel .