N092-105 TITLE: Measurement Methods for Phased-Array Jammers

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Sensors, Electronics, Battlespace, Weapons

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMA-265 E/F-18 Growler

OBJECTIVE: Develop innovative methods to measure high power, wide band, dynamic beams from phased-array transmitters for jamming.

DESCRIPTION: Phased-array transmitters can produce rapidly steerable beams whose beamwidth, polarization, power and beam shape characteristics are also rapidly adjustable. Phased-array based transmitters for jammers also require capabilities for wide bandwidth, multiple simultaneous and time shared beams. Conventional antenna and transmitter methods do not provide a means to measure these dynamic beam characteristics due to the wide bandwidths and the spatial diversity of the high power array transmitters. Indoor measurements, such as in anechoic chambers, are preferred over outdoor measurements due to their ability to contain the high power jamming signals and provide all-weather operation. However the limited size of the chambers and absorber imperfections result in near-field and multipath effects that must be corrected. Near real time measurement techniques are needed in order to evaluate and verify the beams produced by the array. Examples of potential measuring devices include arrays of wideband antennas or photonic sensors connected to specialized measurement receivers and processing to correct for any near-field and multipath effects.

The selected measurement method should provide real-time measurement of the phased-array dynamic beam formation characteristics including beamwidth, shape, power, gain, relative side/back lobe levels, polarization, steering, excess vertical standing wave ratio (VSWR) effects from antenna elements mutual coupling and the time required to form a beam. The method should also include the ability to assess multiple beams produced simultaneously. The measurement methods should also address the real-time measurements required to support system integration in a laboratory environment; these measurements may be performed at lower power.

PHASE I: Determine the feasibility of performing dynamic beam measurements of a phased-array jammer by investigating, analyzing and modeling various methods. Evaluate the key elements and technologies of the proposed measurement methods and provide comparative analysis including measurement time. For the various methods considered, determine which beam parameters should be evaluated at full power and which could be evaluated at low power with extrapolation of those results to full power.

PHASE II: Develop and demonstrate measurement systems to test with reduced power government furnished demonstration arrays at a government facility. The frequency range of the demonstration may be limited. The demonstration should include calibration and visualization capability and track the actual beam performance against the commanded beam. The measurement methods and systems should include correction for multipath and near-field effects.

Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. Owned and Operated with no Foreign Influence as defined by DOD 5220.22-M, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been be implemented and approved by the Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor and/or subcontractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances, in order to perform on advanced phases of this contract as set forth by DSS and NAVAIR in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material IAW DoD 5220.22-M during the advance phases of this contract.

PHASE III: Develop, demonstrate and deliver a complete measurement system capable of performing the full power dynamic beam measurements including beamwidth, shape, power, gain, relative side/back lobe levels, polarization, steering, excess VSWR effects from antenna elements mutual coupling and the time required to form a beam and providing the visualized output. Develop, demonstrate and deliver a complete measurement and data processing system for measuring beam parameters at lower power and the extrapolation of those results to full power. Transition the measurement system to the Next Generation Jammer Program or Active Electronically Steerable Array (AESA) based radars.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Development of high power RF measurements, measurement systems for multimode radars such as Air Traffic Control radars comprised of multiple beams.

REFERENCES:
1. Hess, D.Y., "Tutorial 3: Phased Array Antenna Measurements," Hess, D.Y., IEEE International Symposium on Phased Array Systems and Technology, 15-18 Oct 1996 Page(s) 465-466.

2. K. Arunachalam a; P. Maccarini a; T. Juang b; C. Gaeta; P. R. Stauffer, "Performance evaluation of a conformal thermal monitoring sheet sensor array for measurement of surface temperature distributions during superficial hyperthermia treatments", International Journal of Hyperthermia, Volume 24, Issue 4 2008 , pp. 313-325.

3. Simplified quadrant-partitioned array architecture and measure sequence to support mutual-coupling based calibration: United States Patent 5864317.

KEYWORDS: Phased-Array Transmitter; Jammer; High Power; Wide Band; Measurement; Beam

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