Modular Airborne Cellular Radio/GPS Tracking System

The Air Force requires a method of tracking released aircraft stores during operational testing, at altitudes from ground level to 100,000 feet, and at ranges up to 100 miles. This Phase I program will provide a rigorous feasibility study and workingdemonstration of system design and technology implementation methods for a cost effective and highly practical software controlled radio and Global Positioning System (GPS) based tracking and scoring system to meet this mission. It shall use commercialoff the shelf components and standard PC's for control and databasing. A modular system design adaptable to a variety of air and ground assets (places where radio terminals are placed or carried) is planned. The system shall be primarily externallymounted on air assets using an electrocleavable adhesive, thus minimizing system integration cost by use of line aircraft as opposed to specially instrumented test aircraft. A flexible design provides for levels of sophistication ranging from point topoint links to airborne cellular networks, depending on the mission and the assets available. Any desired range may be supported via air to air relaying in the airborne cellular mode. Assets supported include ground stations, aircraft, UAV's, and seabased buoys and vessels.The military services have a direct need for Radio/GPs based tracking, and may reasonably be expected to issue procurement contracts for systems such as the one proposed. Commercial reuse is also very likely, such as tracking atrisk personnel such as police and firefighters, and high value assets such as truck fleets. This system is designed using low cost COTS components and using the ISM bands in order to allow direct commercial reuse.