Radar Image-Based Navigation

GPS-denial in a Degraded Visual Environment has significant impact on military aircraft missions. In Phase I, TSC successfully demonstrated techniques to correlate onboard radar imagery with previously collected measured SAR images and base maps, and estimated the platform location accuracy that was obtained. TSC generated simulated real-beam images using high fidelity SAR data for testing and reviewed MMW radar data from SNC and Honeywell provided by I2WD. In Phase 2, TSC will team with SDL to mature and demonstrate the Radar Image-Based Navigation (RIBN) algorithms using collected airborne SAR and navigation data and available overhead imagery. A Precision Velocity Update (PVU) collection mode will be defined and implemented on SDL’s FlexSAR testbed for flight testing. SDL’s existing SIGMA architecture and Kalman filter software will then be used to process the recorded INS data and either GPS measurements or the RIBN platform position and PVU velocity to assess the navigation accuracy that can be achieved. TSC will also validate RIBN processing on recorded MMW radar data using TerraSAR images of the test site. In a follow-on effort, real-time onboard correlation processing and aircraft navigation can be demonstrated using the same FlexSAR testbed or other radar system of interest to the Army.