Beyond Line-of-Sight Combat Identification System

Over the horizon reconnaissance is an early-warning and anti-fratracide capability needed by all forward area operations. The I3C BLOS SA/CID system provides real-time reporting and identification of visual imagery, communications and radar signalsintercepted by an airborne platform equipped with light weight sensors and interrogation devices in addition to navigation and platform controls and data link. The innovative approach proposed by I3C will is to consider two options for low cost yet highconfidence QAF. One option is a dedicated low power narrowbeam microwave system while the second is a VHF interrogator that covers a wide area of interest and uses existing vehicle systems (e.g., SINGARS)for response. The use of a simple 'applique unit'to be attached to friendly vehicles to utilize their existing SINCGARS radios for QAF response would reduce procurement costs to implement this portion of the BLOS system. However, the development of a dedicated microwave transponder would eliminate anyintegration requirements on the ground vehicle. We will model the use of a unique transponder concept that simply modulates the interrogation RF pulse train which is manually set for the