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Improved Station Keeping Equipment

Award Information

Agency:
Department of Defense 		Branch:
N/A 		Award ID:
 Program Year/Program:
2011 / SBIR
Agency Tracking Number:
F103-002-1645 		Solicitation Year:
2010 		Solicitation Topic Code:
AF103-002 		Solicitation Number:
2010.3
Small Business Information
Physics, Materials & Applied Math Research, L.L.C.
1665 E. 18th Street, Suite 112 Tucson, AZ -
View profile »
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 1
Fiscal Year: 2011
Title: Improved Station Keeping Equipment
Agency: DOD
Contract: FA8650-11-M-3117
Award Amount: $100,000.00
 

Abstract:

Current station keeping equipment (SKE) relies on radio waves for formation flying. A significant limitation of conventional SKE signals is that they are detectable at long distances by adversaries. Passive detection schemes that employ infrared and thermal cameras, electro-optic and acoustic sensors are of interest for future SKE upgrades although they lack the capability to provide sufficiently accurate relative positioning over long ranges. To overcome these problems, we propose a terahertz (THz) relative positioning system to enable formation station keeping for large transport aircraft. In contrast with current generation SKE, our system will be essentially invisible to ground or air-based surveillance. This system will function in all weather conditions, including cloud cover and precipitation. Unlike GPS-based systems, our THz positioning system will be effectively impossible to spoof or jam. System accuracy will be more than sufficient to meet the stated requirement (500 feet longitudinal and 200 feet lateral). BENEFIT: Current military transports and station keeping equipment, covert navigation, aerial-to-aerial refueling, THz remote sensing, THz navigation systems and communications, formation flying of civilian and commercial airliners

Principal Investigator:

Kevin Kremeyer
Vice President of Research
(520) 903-2345
kremeyer@physics-math.com

Business Contact:

Denise Blum
Administrative Manager
(520) 903-2345
dblum@physics-math.com
Small Business Information at Submission:

Physics, Materials & Applied Math Research, L.L.C.
1665 E. 18th Street, Suite 112 Tucson, AZ -

EIN/Tax ID: 860986177
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees:
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No