ROME LABORATORY'S DRAFT FY98 SBIR TOPICS PART 10 OF 10. ROME LABORATORY'S DRAFT FY 98 SBIR TOPICS. ROME LABORATORY IS PLEASED TO MAKE AVAILABLE THE FOLLOWING DRAFT SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATIVE RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM TOPICS. THESE TOPICS ARE NOT APPROVED AS YET AND ALL MAY NOT APPEAR IN THE FINAL SOLICITTION: SBIR TOPIC AF98-141. TECHNICAL POINTS OF CONTACT: John Pirog and Dwayne Allain, RL/IWT (315) 330-7990. TITLE: Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Enhancing Technologies. CATEGORY: Research and Development. DOD CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA: B07. SERVICE CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA: AF1. OBJECTIVE: Develop algorithms and/or specialized processors to detect (and possibly compensate for) radio frequency interference received by synthetic aperture radars. DESCRIPTION: There are many radio frequency (RF) sources which can inadvertently or intentionally interfere with the operation of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR). Examples include wireless communication, commercial air-control or weather-monitoring radars, and military radars. For a SAR to be most cost-effective, it needs to detect and filter out or compensate for any extraneous RF signals it receives. The purpose here is to better deal with those RF interference sources that are not well handled by the already existing SAR processing algorithms. PHASE I: Identify those RF sources existing today and potentially available within the next ten years which can inadvertently or intentionally cause significant interference with the operation of SARs. Clearly explain why the current SAR processing cannot adequately deal with these interference sources. Identify potential algorithm and/or specialized processor ideas that would improve SAR performance in the presence of such interference. Develop top-level concepts for these ideas and predict the cost and effectiveness for each of these concepts. Recommend one or more of the concepts for further development in Phase II. PHASE II: Experimentally test the concept(s) recommended in phase I. Assemble a hardware-in-the-loop simulation of a SAR in the presence of the RF interference sources identified in phase I. In controlled experiments, assess the ability of the new algorithm(s) and/or specialized processor(s) to overcome the interference, over the range of interfering source parameters which reasonably represents what one could expect in an operational environment. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: SAR imagery from space will be available commercially in the near future from ERS, JERS, and RadarSat. United States companies will want to compete (or team) with these European, Japanese, and Canadian enterprises. The ability to offer a higher quality and/or more robust product would help United States companies in this commercial arena. KEYWORDS: Synthetic Aperture Radar, Processor, RF Interference, Algorithms. SBIR TOPIC #AF98-142. TECHNICAL POINT OF CONTACT: David D. Ferris, RL/OCSM (315) 330-4408. TITLE: Innovative Special Operations Technologies. CATEGORY: Research and Development. DOD CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA: B16. SERVICE CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA: AF1. OBJECTIVE: Develop innovative technologies for the support of Special Operations. DESCRIPTION: Proposals may address any aspect of technologies that will enhance the ability to: (1) detect weapons concealed beneath a persons clothing, (2) tag persons or objects so that their location and status can be positively identified, and (3) perform through-the-wall surveillance (TWS). Recent military operations (i.e., Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, etc.) have required military forces to guard undeveloped airfields, patrol urban environments, etc. These operations require that military personnel interact with indigenous personnel, most of whom do not represent a threat. Technology to detect concealed weapons, perform tagging and to perform TWS would greatly enhance the ability of military forces to safely and effectively perform these missions. This technology includes sensor systems (i.e., imaging and nonimaging radars, millimeter wave imaging radiometers, etc.) and the signal processing necessary to ensure robust system performance. Signal Processing techniques to combine (fuse) the outputs of multiple sensors is also of interest. PHASE I: Provide a report describing the proposed concept in detail and show its viability and feasibility. PHASE II: Fabricate and demonstrate a prototype device, subsystem, or software program. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: This technology will have substantial dual-use potential and will impact competitiveness and performance of the commercial sector as well as the military sector. One particular dual-use application of this technology is in the area of law enforcement and corrections. All solutions proposed must have potential for use/application in the commercial as well as the military sector, and potential commercial applications must be discussed in the proposal. KEYWORDS: Surveillance, Tagging, Concealed Weapon Detection, Through-the-Wall Surveillance, Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology. SBIR TOPIC #AF98-143. TECHNICAL POINT OF CONTACT: Norman P. Bernstein, RL/OCPC (315) 330-3147. TITLE: Radio Frequency (RF) Photonics. CATEGORY: Research and Development. DOD CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA: B10. SERVICE CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA: AF1. OBJECTIVE: The USAF is seeking new ideas and technology for the distribution of Radio Frequency (RF) signals in lightwave-based (photonic) communications systems. DESCRIPTION: These photonic based RF signal distribution systems are designed to replace metallic based low power RF signal and data distribution systems, including RF antenna interconnects. Application areas include airborne and space-based platforms as well as potential use in a ground environment. The system applications include the ability to dynamically and statically reconfigure the RF signal distribution. Issues to be addressed are: (1) high efficiency conversions from RF to optical and optical to RF; (2) minimization of loss; (3) transparency of the photonic RF interconnect to the RF signal by (a) low noise, (b) high dynamic range -- goal of 130 dB/Hz 2/3, (c) small size, (d) light weight, and (e) reduced prime power requirements; and (4) low loss, high speed photonic switching. Frequencies of interest range up to 130 Ghz. Devices of special concern are both broadband and narrowband high frequency, low vp, modulators with high dynamic range; high efficiency, high dynamic range optical detectors with high power handling capability; high power, temperature independent, low noise, narrow line width optical sources; and low loss, high speed, all optical switches. Implementation of this technology can provide light weight, low loss, interference resistant RF (and data) signal distribution, coupled with wideband, true time delay direction finding. PHASE I: Provide a report and an initial laboratory technology demonstration of the proposed approach describing one of the devices addressed above. PHASE II: Fabricate and demonstrate a prototype device or subsystem which demonstrates the full capability. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Applications to many airborne platforms in the military and civilian area along with potential applications to the cellular and personal radio communications sites. KEYWORDS: Electro-Optics, Command, Control, Communications, Antenna Remoting, RF Signal Distribution, Optical Switching, Photonics, Lasers, Detectors. SBIR TOPIC #AF98-144. TECHNICAL POINT OF CONTACT: Paul L. Repak, RL/OCPC (315) 330-3146. TITLE: Optical Backplane Interconnects for High Performance Computing. CATEGORY: Research and Development. DOD CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA: B08. SERVICE CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA: AF1. OBJECTIVE: Investigate application of high speed optical interconnects for high performance computers in Air Force surveillance platforms, leveraging and militarizing parallel commercial developments. DESCRIPTION: High speed signal processing and information storage for C4I is driven by such operational realities as increasing jammer densities against C4 assets, low-observable target surveillance, and handling of large intelligence data bases. Traditional electronics techniques identified to counter the threats have processing requirements which are increasingly prohibitive, outpacing the rate of advance of conventional all-electronic components. Increasingly widespread industry development and use of optical data links is on the verge of creating a large manufacturing base for low cost opto-electronics interconnects and building blocks such as laser sources, switches, optical connectors, optical transceivers, memory access, and integrated packages. Intensive processing capabilities are made possible by commercial interests and advancements in optical interconnect links and optically influenced architecture designs for high performance computer processors. There is significant unique opportunity for the DOD to take advantage of previously unattainable fully and multiply connected network topologies, newly available by integrating optical and electronic processor components in the form of electro-optical transceivers, switches, and passive optical interconnects for backplane access and data transfer in the multiple gigabit and terabit range. Future implementations of next generation signal processors permit significant enhancements in military operational surveillance functions such as automatic target recognition, multiple target tracking, multisensor integration, space-time adaptive processing, and synthetic aperture radar. PHASE I: Characterize optically realizable backplane and interconnect enhancements to current and near term future commercial high performance computing architectures, particularly those proposed for use in Air Force surveillance platforms. PHASE II: Assemble components to demonstrate enhanced high performance computer performance, utilizing high speed optically interconnected nodes and processors. Interconnect data transfer capacity should be in the range of several hundred gigaflops (GFLOP) to teraflop (TFLOP) range. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Remove speed limitations in all super computer systems for DOD, NASA, other government agencies, and commercial systems. KEYWORDS: Photonics, Optical Backplane, Optical Interconnects, High Performance Computing. Margot Ashcroft, SBIR Program Manager, RL/XPD, 315-330-1793, Joetta A. Bernhard, Contracting Officer, RL/PKPX, 315-330-2308.

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