Air Force sbir 04. 1 Proposal Submission Instructions
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| PHASE II: Activities in this phase would include: development of a high speed optical limiter system for protection of > 40 Gbps laser communications systems; demonstration of the performance of the optical limiter for a digital optical communications system at data rates > 40 Gbps under irradiation with ultrashort laser pulses at repetition rates of up to 100 Hz; demonstration of the effects of the space radiation environment on optical limiter performance using gamma ray irradiation to 10, 50, 100, and 200 krads as well as proton irradiation (> 50 MeV protons) to the equivalent gamma ray doses.
DUAL USE COMMERCIALIZATION: Optical limiters with these characteristics will be useful for military, civil, and commercial communications satellite systems. They may also be useful for terrestrial free-space optical communications systems. REFERENCES: 1. M.J. Soileau, Ed., Materials for Optical Switches Isolators and Limiters, SPIE Proceedings, Vol 1105, (SPIE Press, Bellingham, WA, 1989). 2. C.M. Lawson, Ed., Nonlinear Optical Liquids and Power Limiters, (SPIE Press, Bellingham, WA, 1997). 3. R.A. Ganeev, Sh.R. Kamalov, T. Usmanov, A.I. Ryasnyansky, and M.K. Kodirov, ?Nonlinear susceptibilities, absorption coefficients and refractive indices of colloidal metals,? Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics vol. 34, no. 11, pp. 1602-1611 (2001). 4. C. Li, G. Fang, L. Cai, and H.-K. Liu, ?Optical gratings with wavelength and subwavelength structures for optical limiting,? in Far- and Near-Field Optics: Physics and Information Processing, Proc. SPIE vol. 3467, pp. 186-198 (1998). 5. M. Sanghadasa, C.C. Sung, I.-S. Shin, B.G. Penn, R.D. Clark, H. Guo, and A. Martinez, ?Investigation of optical limiting behavior of octa-decyloxy phthalocyanines,? in Nonlinear Optical Liquids for Power Limiting and Imaging, Proc. SPIE vol. 3472, pp. 116-126 (1998). 6. C.W. Spangler and M. He, ?The design of optical limiters based on the formation of bipolaron-like dications,? in Materials for Optical Limiting II, Proc. MRS vol. 479, pp. 59-67 (1997). 7. H. Xia, C. Zhu, and F. Gan, ?Sol-gel derived hybrid materials containing C60 and their optical limiting effects,? in Sol-Gel Optics IV, Proc. SPIE vol. 3136, pp. 57-61 (1997). 8. M.J. Soileau, Ed., Materials for Optical Switches Isolators and Limiters, SPIE Proceedings, Vol 1105, (SPIE Press, Bellingham, WA, 1989). 9. C.M. Lawson, Ed., Nonlinear Optical Liquids and Power Limiters, (SPIE Press, Bellingham, WA, 1997). KEYWORDS: Optical limiter, laser threat, Optical bandwidth, laser communications, optical communication, laser pulse AF04-223 TITLE: Optical Communication Turrets TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors, Electronics, Battlespace OBJECTIVE: Develop systems architecture designs for building optical communications turrets system/subsystems. Design/demonstrate a chosen system/subsystem DESCRIPTION: As users requirements for satellite communications capacity continues to grow, development of innovative technologies that support optical communications for satellites, UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and airframes is highly desirable. In order to exploit higher optical communications capacity the terminal interface must be made reliable, power efficient, light, portable and affordable. In particular, integration onto the platform must avoid costly modifications to the airframe. UAV mounted systems present the most arduous requirements. These requirements (among others) include packaging, weight and power requirements compatible with UAV system capabilities, Basic gimbal requirements include pointing accuracy of at least one arc second, absolute smooth (non-cogging) rotation over the pointing range of 0 to 100 degree elevation, ±200 degree azimuth, signal tracking rate (closed loop) of 30 degrees per second, open loop slewing rate of 100 degrees per second, operational vibration isolation of 3-4g for frequencies between 70 and 140 Hz, fault tolerance capable of continuous operational performance without field maintenance. Specification details including optical system specifications and gimbal requirements such as size, weight, power consumption, and impact on UAV performance must be compatible with UAV capabilities, to be supplied by the Air Force contract representative. PHASE I: Utilizing Air Force contract monitor input, study component/subsystem technology, including amplifiers, splitters, discriminators, pointing/tracking assemblies, etc, to determine current capabilities. From this effort develop a systems architecture and assess the required physical characteristics and functional performance of components to optimize communication link capacity. Identify components/subsystems requiring development beyond current technology. Select one or more of the identified components/subsystems for Phase II development. Design/construct laboratory sub-scale assembly(s) capable of demonstrating basic UAV application requirements. Perform demonstrations, document results, define areas requiring improvement and describe corrective solutions. PHASE II: Design/develop/fabricate/demonstrate Phase I selected component(s)/subsystem(s) to UAV required physical and performance parameters, utilizing (to the extent possible) commercially available components. Measure performance, correlate to predictions, and identify areas for improvement. Identify airborne platform integration methodology. DUAL USE COMMERCIALIZATION: Optical communication links are available commercially for ground stationary systems. Component advancements can be applied to both the commercial market as well as the DoD. REFERENCES: KEYWORDS: Laser turret, Optical frequency discriminator, Semiconductor laser amplifier, Wave division multiplex, Gigabit link, Beamsteering AF04-225 TITLE: RA-1 Multi-mode Collision Avoidance Technology for UAVs TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform OBJECTIVE: Develop a multi-mode collision avoidance technology to facilitate improvements in air safety and integration of Unmanned Air Vehicles into civil airspace globally. DESCRIPTION: Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) are an increasingly important part of US military force projection and are receiving ever-increasing attention for commercial aviation applications. However, for UAVs to flourish in either application, they must obtain unfettered access to civil airspace (as defined by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)). To achieve this, developers must deliver collision avoidance equipage sufficient to assure air safety. Current procedures for UAV operation within the U.S. National Airspace System (NAS) are effective, but cumbersome and unsustainable for the long term. They serve to segregate UAVs from manned aircraft, often requiring separate attention from air traffic control authorities, limiting user flexibility and responsiveness, and hindering effective operations - military or commercial. At the same time, they limit UAV flexibility by forbidding UAV deviations from previously agreed-upon routes. Telegraphing of UAV position as a result of restricted routes through civil airspace was an important contributing factor in the loss of many UAVs in Bosnia and Kosovo. One technology key to realizing integrated UAV operations is the ability to detect and avoid both cooperative (transponding) and non-cooperative aircraft. Various means of detecting and deconflicting cooperative aircraft are currently employed on civil and military aircraft. They enhance pilot awareness and warning of encroaching traffic through continuous transmission and receipt of respective aircraft positions and intentions. Likewise, various means of detecting non-cooperative aircraft (via radar, passive or other sensors) are in development. Separately, these approaches cannot cover the spectrum of traffic that UAVs and manned aircraft face. The intent of this solicitation is to develop a small low cost solution, combining cooperative (such as TCAS II or Skywatch HP Traffic Avoidance System) and non-cooperative sensor detection concepts. This will produce an integrated detection and deconfliction capability sufficient to support UAV operations seamless to human pilots and air traffic control authorities – integrated display, cues and warnings. This would promote steps toward a standard data format, pilot interface/data feed, and algorithm/processing scheme. Such capability is crucial to providing military services and industry with sustainable, flexible UAV operations, sufficiently robust to safely deploy whenever and wherever needed. Additionally, these technologies will increase safety in the civil sector through integration on manned aircraft. With applicability across UAV platforms, this topic is supported by ASC/RA, ASC/FB, and AFRL/SN. PHASE I: Define concept to include cooperative and non-cooperative detection sensors and processors. Design interface between the two major components and UAV operators. Model scenarios to predict detection/deconfliction performance for the combined system. PHASE II: Develop prototype hardware and software to implement the Phase I approach. Integrate into brassboard system and fly on a surrogate UAV to provide test data to verify scenario performance model developed in Phase I. Use these results to develop a preliminary design for a Phase III implementation that can be deployed on Global Hawk or similar UAV. DUAL USE COMMERCIALIZATION: The technology developed under this solicitation will significantly improve the utility of UAVs across all three services and should have application to the commercial UAV sector and general aviation aircraft as well. Procedural methods, such as those currently being used for Global Hawk, cost the government significantly in time and funds while limiting operational flexibility. Technology developed under this solicitation would eliminate that recurring expense while moving the UAVs significantly closer to meeting User requirements for “file (a flight plan) and fly” operations. It will also be key to commercial industry as Global Hawk and other UAVs proliferate into the civil sector. It is also expected this application will be of interest to the FAA in supporting increased safety for general/commercial aviation aircraft; it may have prevented the recent mid-air collision over Switzerland which resulted in many lost lives. REFERENCES: KEYWORDS: collision avoidance; UAV; detect and avoid AF04-226 TITLE: Multisource Data Registration Tools TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors, Electronics, Battlespace OBJECTIVE: Data registration from multiple sources must take place in real time to support required capabilities ranging from rapid detection and engagement of mobile targets to “first look, first shot, first kill” against airborne threats. DESCRIPTION: The objective of this effort is to develop autonomous registration technology in the form of a software toolkit for the spatial alignment of image, signals intelligence (SIGINT), and ground moving target indicator (GMTI) data collected from the battlespace. The focus of this research is to develop the novel approaches to georegistration by first, developing geo-reference invariant features that can be extracted from each data source and second, developing algorithms for correlating/integrating these features across the multiple data sources and a fiducial database for relative and absolute registration. Examples of features that cross multiple source data domains could be radio/TV transmission towers, command and control centers, road intersections, fixed search radar towers, and cellular phone towers. Correlation/integration algorithms will tie disparate types of sensor data together with the fiducial database while exploiting the knowledge of physics and phenomenological models (exact or approximate) of sensors and source types that might be available. The research will exploit innovative approaches including multi-agent knowledge-based systems, neural networks, modeling field theory, multiresolutional architectures, evolutionary computation. Most appropriate approaches will be identified for each sensor, source type, and for integrating/correlating all the data and available knowledge. The result will be a reliable, flexible system that can coregister multiple sensor data, estimate and account for errors and uncertainties, and identify measures of effectiveness for automatic convergence to minimize human intervention. The algorithms will be implemented as a software toolkit to enable the flexible system integration. The effort should take advantage of innovative approaches to integrated intelligent computational systems exploiting the current knowledge about the integrative abilities of human mind. PHASE I: Investigate innovative approaches to the development of geo-reference invariant features and correlation/integration algorithms. Develop and demonstrate a proof of concept for multisource data registration using salient features on a limited multisource data set that would be provided by the Government. Develop a software design that can be extended to integrate different algorithmic approaches based on a generic concept of a feature. PHASE II: Further diversify and enhance the prototype developed in Phase I effort to support additional functionality, knowledge, information, sensors, and sources. Develop and integrate a complete suite of data registration algorithms in the form of a software toolkit. Characterize performance over a wide range of data including multisource imagery, GMTI, and SIGINT. Identify transition pathways to the warfighter. DUAL USE COMMERCIALIZATION: This technology is directly applicable to a broad range of military applications. Potential commercial application areas include remote sensing, oil exploration, security systems, and extensions of this technology to integrating data beyond geo-registration domain to medical diagnostics, biophysical and drug-discovery applications, financial industry, internet search engines, application-specific information search engines, and other commercial applications. REFERENCES: 1. Perlovsky, L.I. (2001). Neural Networks and Intellect: using model-based concepts. Oxford University Press, New York, NY. 2. Meystel, A.M., Albus, J.S. (2001). Intelligent Systems: Architecture, Design, Control. Wiley-Interscience, New York, NY. 3. Hall, D.L. & Llinas, J. (Editors),1997, Handbook of Multisensor Data Fusion, CRC Press. KEYWORDS: georegistration, correlation, integration, multiple sensors, intelligent systems, image registration, AF04-227 TITLE: Small Aircraft Self Protection TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors, Electronics, Battlespace OBJECTIVE: Design a system, using a small expendable device, that can be used for the self protection of a small aircraft such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). DESCRIPTION: As the United States military force establishes its global reach, global power capability, UAVs of all sizes and capabilities become more and more important for reaching this goal. In response to this UAV capability, the enemy will develop methods of defeating them. To preserve the capabilities of these UAVs and to conserve this resource, the UAVs will need a capability to protect itself from modified or new antiaircraft missiles that have the capability of seeking and destroying them. One such approach to self protection is the concept of a destructive expendable (DEX). The Sensors and Air Vehicle Directorates of the Air Force Research Laboratory have been extensively involved in modeling and simulation of the flight of the DEX for approximately two years. The detailed results of that modeling and simulation indicate that a DEX has the potential to be an effective countermeasure against various anti-aircraft missiles. In the basic DEX concept, a small, rocket powered projectile is dispensed from an existing or modified flare dispenser after threat missile detection by the aircraft’s warning system. An onboard, aircraft computer predicts the flight path of the threat missile and calculates the flight path and launch time of the DEX that will intercept the missile at a safe distance. The DEX is dispensed at the appropriate time, intercepts the target missile and destroys it. A multitude of questions, involving trade-offs between a multitude of technologies, need to be favorably answered to validate the DEX concept. It is possible that the DEX can be designed to destroy the attacking missile with a hit-to-kill approach. The DEX sensors, guidance system, aerodynamic control surfaces and propulsion approaches must be compatible with the small size of the device that will be needed to provide the UAV with self protection. This will require sensing the attacking missile and determining the optimum intercept point. Allocation of the required functional capability, as well as the physical allocation of the sensors, to the UAV or to the DEX will directly affect the throw away cost of the expendable component. Propulsion system requirements will need to address propellant types and propellant performance. Control power requirements and associated actuation schemes will need to look at accomplishing performance objectives through aerodynamic control only, thrust vectoring only or a hybrid aerodynamic/thrust vectoring control. PHASE I: Investigate the DEX concept, clearly identify all assumptions, the implications of those assumptions and identify the major trade spaces. It is also expected that at least one major trade will be accomplished during this phase. For example, the contractor could address the need for the DEX to have a thrust vectoring capability to assure intercept; examine if hit-to-kill accuracy is feasible or if a warhead would be required; study sensor availability and requirements. A preliminary DEX concept should result from this phase. PHASE II: During this phase the contractor will discuss all major issues, trades and assumptions as it relates to the DEX concept developed during Phase I in sufficient detail to validate the concept. The contractor could also demonstrate the performance of key technologies, such as the DEX itself, that will be needed for the DEX concept to succeed and develop a plan for the advanced development of the entire DEX system. DUAL USE COMMERCIALIZATION: This concept has direct application to providing self protection to our commercial aircraft which are now in need of a capability to protect them from a missile threat. REFERENCES: 1. Cherry, M.C., et al, "A Systems Engineering Approach to Aircraft Kinetic Kill Countermeasure Technology: Development of an Active Air Defense System for the C/KC-135 Aircraft", Masters Thesis, Air Force Institute of Technology, December 1995. 2. M. Pershing, P. McKeehen, D. Warner, W. Blake, "Simulation and Analysis of Missile Countermeasures Using a Destructive Expendable” for the 46th Annual Joint Electronic Warfare Conference”, Monterey , CA , May 2001.
Simulation Technologies Conference , Montreal , Canada, Aug 2001. KEYWORDS: Expendable;Maneuverable;small;self guided; thrust vectoring;self protection; hit-to-kill AF04-228 TITLE: Compact, Lightweight, Low-Power Hyperspectral Sensor TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors, Electronics, Battlespace OBJECTIVE: Develop miniature infrared hyperspectral imaging sensor technology for the longwave and/or shortwave spectral range(s) capable of meeting performance requirements for remote material detection. DESCRIPTION: Current remote sensing using infrared hyperspectral imaging systems requires large, complex optical systems, highly sensitive focal planes, and elaborate mechanical/electrical systems to perform long-range material detection. The advent of small, low-cost uninhabited aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms has resulted in the need to assess sensor concepts capable of meeting the size, weight, and power constraints for these platforms. The design trade space for UAV platforms is significantly different than for other more conventional airborne platforms and a number of tradeoffs are possible for infrared hyperspectral imaging sensors, including relaxed resolution requirements for reduced range that translate into reduced optical aperture size. It is desired that the miniature infrared hyperspectral imaging sensor concept maintain the spatial/spectral fidelity of current hyperspectral sensors. PHASE I: Focus on assessing concept feasibility, sensor performance trades, investigating innovative enabling technologies, and developing possible design concepts for further development in Phase II. PHASE II: Design and fabricate a prototype breadboard miniature infrared hyperspectral imaging sensor. Demonstrate data quality and sensor fidelity. DUAL USE COMMERCIALIZATION: This technology has the potential for use in a wide range of military and civilian remote sensing applications, including geology, agriculture, surveillance, drug enforcement, etc. REFERENCES: 1. Hackwell, D. Warren, R. Bongiovi, S. Hansel, T. Hayhurst, D. Mabry, M. Sivjee, and J. Skinner, “LWIR/MWIR imaging hyperspectral sensor for airborne and ground-based remote sensing,” Imaging Spectrometry II, Proc. SPIE, Vol. 2819, 102-107 (1996). 2. J. Cederquist and C. Schwartz, “Performance trade-offs of infrared spectral imagers,” Imaging Spectrometry III, Proc. SPIE, Vol. 3118, 23-27 (1997). 3. C. Simi, E. Winter, M. Williams, and D. Driscoll, “Compact airborne spectral sensor (COMPASS),” Algorithms for Multispectral, Hyperspectral, and Ultraspectral Imagery VII, Proc. SPIE, Vol. 4381, 129-136 (2001). KEYWORDS: Passive Hyperspectral Imaging, Hyperspectral Imaging Sensor, Imaging Spectrometer, Remote Sensing, Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle, UAV, Micro UAV, Material Detection, Infrared. AF04-229 TITLE: Low Cost Electro-Optic Sensors for Mini/Micro UAV’s
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