Digital Early Warning Receiver (EWR) for the Next Generation Submarine Electronic Warfare (EW) Navy SBIR FY2016.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2016.1 Topic No.: N161-025 Topic Title: Digital Early Warning Receiver (EWR) for the Next Generation Submarine Electronic Warfare (EW) Proposal No.: N161-025-0634 Firm: Sonalysts, Inc. 215 Parkway North P.O. Box 280 Waterford, Connecticut 6385 Contact: Samuel Tannatt Phone: (860) 326-3767 Web Site: http://www.sonalysts.com Abstract: Sonalysts proposes to develop a novel Digital Early Warning Receiver (DEWR) concept that fits within the digital architecture of the Next Generation Architecture (NGA) Submarine Electronic Warfare Suite. The DEWR will employ a modular video detection and digitization layer with narrow acceptance bandwidths across the entire electromagnetic spectrum and high-speed analog-to-digital conversion. Digital video output is processed to satisfy legacy "safety of ship" requirements and to feed innovative algorithms for improved pulse characterization, feature extraction, and cueing of the AN/BLQ-10B narrow band receivers. Raw digital data and Pulse Descriptor Words (PDWs) are provided to a high-speed network to support the incorporation of new capabilities via advanced algorithms. Sonalysts' DEWR approach exploits advances in envelope detection technologies to increase sensitivity and dynamic range while retaining the dependability and fleet familiarity required of a safety critical application. A tunable notch filter upstream of the detector is used to mitigate the effects of Continuous Wave (CW) interferers. Additional advantages include: retention of rugged highly reliable analog front end, incremental fielding of digital capability, and supports future NGA system feeding digital data products to and from the DEWR. Sonalysts' modular design concept reduces implementation risk for NGA and increases the Navy's return on investment. Benefits: Our commercialization strategy initially will be focused on the Naval Electronic Warfare (EW) systems, such as the AN/BLQ-10(V) family of submarine EW systems. We understand the Navy's desire to realize an Open Systems Architecture (OSA) next generation submarine EW suite that distributes digital data products to consumers within the AN/BLQ-10(V) subsystem and other Non-Propulsion Electronic Systems (NPES). Augmenting the Early Warning Receiver (EWR) with digital output capability will lead to improved situation awareness, threat identification, and receiver tasking, while preserving the safety of ship characteristics (dependable, rugged, simple) required to prevent counter-detection or targeting. Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMCO) has indicated interest in using the proposed DEWR as a means of cueing their digital narrow band receivers that are employed as part of the TI-16 AN/BLQ-10A (V) aboard Virginia-Class submarines (SSN 792 and SSN 793), as well as the Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Project (SEWIP). Currently, these receivers are cued via a scanning, narrow band super heterodyne receiver (or wide band super heterodyne receiver), which are both costly and Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) intense. The DEWR offers the potential for realizing a significantly less expensive, high reliability, and more SWaP-friendly method for providing the warfighter with full spectrum situational awareness and automated cueing of more sensitive receivers for Specific Emitter Identification (SEI) and threat assessment. LMCO's involvement with naval, ground, and airborne EW also offers the potential for implementation of the DEWR across multiple branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. Return