Modular Expendable Electronic Warfare (EW) Decoy Buoy for Undersea Platforms Navy SBIR FY2016.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2016.1 Topic No.: N161-051 Topic Title: Modular Expendable Electronic Warfare (EW) Decoy Buoy for Undersea Platforms Proposal No.: N161-051-0074 Firm: Azure Summit Technology, Inc. 3050 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 600 Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Contact: Jim King Phone: (321) 215-2081 Web Site: http://www.azuresummit.com Abstract: For the US submarine force to continue operating in contested environments with increasingly capable radars, we need the capability to elude detection. One way is via countermeasures that deceive enemy radars into reporting incorrect target shape, range and velocity via a Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) jammer. In Phase I, we design a modular, expendable electronic warfare decoy buoy that:  can be physically configured and programmed to provide DRFM decoy functions against enemy radars operating over a frequency range of 1-40 GHz  fits within a mechanical package compatible with the submarine standard 3-inch launcher and can operate at depths >800 feet.  is comprised of transceiver and processing subsystems already funded as part of existing NAVAIR and PMS435 programs. Azure Summit leverages ongoing development of a wideband transceiver for PMS435 next generation EW systems and NAVAIR PMA290, as well as extensive experience in developing low-SWAP, wideband software defined radio systems for military SIGINT, EW, and navigation applications. Our partner for the effort, Sparton Electronics, is a supplier of tactical sonobuoys to the Navy and will provide discriminating expertise in both the initial design of the EW decoy buoy and realistic estimation of the unit cost during volume manufacturing. Benefits: Given successful prototype demonstrations during Phase II, we would plan to transition to a program of record alongside Sparton as a payload supplier. In addition to resupply of the expendable units to maintain the Navy's inventory, continuing product improvement and upgrades to the EW Decoy buoy's performance would provide an opportunity for ongoing technology refresh and continued engineering revenue. Sparton has sold over 6 million sonobuoys over the past 60 years. If the market for the EW Decoy buoy turns out to be just 1% of that sales volume (1000 units/year), then the team would stand to expect something on the order of $7M annual sales. We anticipate that the EW Decoy buoy electronics will remain closely related to the family of Switchblade products from which their design will likely emanate. Azure Summit has been working very closely with PMA290 and NUWC as well as Sierra Nevada Corp, ArgonST (A wholly owned subsidiary of Boeing), Aeronix, RAS, Accipiter and Lockheed Martin to develop the Switchblade digital tuner system. The Switchblade tuner system allows for very small SWaP, high performance, upgradeable and changeable software defined radios (SDRs). Any new downconverter development (e.g. 18-40 GHz) that comes about as part of this effort would be directly applicable to the rest of the Switchblade product line. Specifically, the 500MHz narrowband technology is a required addition to the current Switchblade very narrowband (VNB) architecture which will transition to NAVSEA PEOSUBS PMS435 (Submarine Imaging, Electronic Warfare, and Radar Program Office - PMS435 (Captain Steve Debus - [email protected]) and the PMS435 Chief Engineer (Sean Watterson - [email protected])). The transition schedule will roll this technology into AN/BLQ-10B as Very Narrow Band (80MHz 2-channel RX modules) and Narrow Band Digital Apertures (500MHz RX modules). These apertures fulfill roles in the BLQ-10. The AN/BLQ-10B started development FY14 and is intended for IOC in FY17 for all submarine classes. The resource sponsor for AN/BLQ-10 program is OPNAV N97 (LCDR Bryan Watson). When project achieves TRL 7, PMS435 agrees to transition this into core AN/BLQ-10 program of record. Return