SEACORP, LLC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N171-043

Description

Advances in semiconductor technologies, including Gallium nitride (GaN) and Silicon carbide (SiC), are allowing for the wider use of solid-state devices in modern radar systems. These devices include direct digital synthesizers and their associated memories, i.e. numerical look up tables for reprogrammable radar parameters, as well as solid-state power amplifiers (SSPA). Since solid-state systems are generally limited to much lower peak powers than their vacuum tube predecessors, they use much higher duty cycles to get equivalent energy on targets. This means that traditional methods of radar detection and classification, i.e. measuring pulse width, pulse repetition interval, carrier frequency, and amplitude, which are at the heart legacy electronic warfare support systems, are becoming less and less effective at providing an accurate and complete picture of today's battlespace.<br><br>SEA CORP believes that the more viable solution to the solid-state radar emitter detection, classification, unique identification, and tracking of vessels lies in the application of new algorithms to the digitized RF spectrum. The algorithm will consider novel ways of analyzing pieces of the RF spectrum to extract features not previously analyzed. Regardless of frequency/frequencies of operation, waveform shape, or transmit power, every radar system still has an amplifier and aperture which are unique.