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Efficient Radar Polarimeter Technology for Missile Defense

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Missile Defense Agency
Contract: W9113M-04-P-0114
Agency Tracking Number: B041-039-1146
Amount: $99,995.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: MDA04-039
Solicitation Number: 2004.1
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2004
Award Year: 2004
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2004-05-04
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2004-11-04
Small Business Information
1711 Indian Ridge Dr.
Woodstock, GA 30189
United States
DUNS: 015991545
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Neal Alexander
 Senior Engineer
 (770) 528-7657
 neal.alexander@pra-corp.com
Business Contact
 Susan Dugas
Title: Vice President
Phone: (770) 617-9082
Email: susan@pra-corp.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Propagation Research Associates, Inc., (PRA) proposes to develop radar polarimeter technology that will instantaneously measure the parameters of the Stokes vector or Polarization Scattering Matrix (PSM) of a target without requiring additional antennas or antenna elements in Missile Defense phased-array radars. The term `instantaneous' is used to mean that the parameters of the Stokes vector or PSM are measured with a single pulse and that the measurements all occur at the same time. The Stokes vector and PSM provide effective measures to detect and discriminate targets embedded in threat complexes. The PRA Radar Polarimeter and PRA Orthogonal Radar Polarimeter substantially reduce the cost of measuring polarization for large phased-array radars and provide instantaneous measurement of the Stokes vector and PSM components that are more reliable than conventional sequential measurement approaches. The innovative PRA radar polarimeter technology addresses a significant need in radar technology - the need to measure target polarimetrics instantaneously without increasing hardware cost, weight, and volume. PRA radar polarimeter technology will have direct applications to Missile Defense, where target detection and discrimination in a dynamic clutter environment is required. Also included are polarimeter designs for infrared and optical sensors that provide low-cost and efficient polarimeter technologies for these wavelengths.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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