The front end alone will not be enough to solve USAF survivable VLF reception issues, but a modular front end technology developed through SBIR could be integrated with other receiver subsystems in the future for full functionality. A full VLF receiver design that meets these capabilities may lie outside of the duration and funding scope this research project and so the front end was chosen as a suitably scoped topic. The VLF Receiver front end must surpass state-of-the-art receiver specs (see reference). Compounding these obstacles to robust VLF reception in currently fielded equipment are obsolete technology, poor logistics and sustainment management, strict funding lines, and a decimated VLF industry base and expertise. In addition to these challenges, VLF receiver technology is expected to perform under the excessive noise of jamming sources and nuclear scintillated atmosphere (post Nuclear or high EM pulse event). This topic targets a front end technology that would require high sensitivity to copy messages at distance and fine selectivity to tune to a specific transmitter whose frequency may be very close to that of another transmitter. A new front end (that part of the VLF receiver between the antenna and demodulator) designed to copy both USAF and USN transmissions could address some of these problems, but this feature would add new problems of additional signals from transmitters occupying dense space in frequency. Relying on Navy VLF Transmitters dispersed around the world could pick up the slack, but current USAF VLF receivers cannot tune to them. Furthermore, the threat to Nuclear Command Control and Communication (NC3) has arguably become more adaptable and global, demanding that USAF EAM reception become more adaptable and global in response. Since that time, USAF VLF transmitters have significantly decreased, providing a much weaker signal for VLF receivers to copy. Receivers were designed in the 1970s and 1980s to accomplish this task in certain environments, against certain threats. DESCRIPTION: Current airborne VLF receiver technology for Emergency Action Message (EAM) reception must meet stringent reception capabilities in harsh environments.
The technology requires high sensitivity for distance reception of weak signals in the 14kHz to 60kHz range and high selectivity to discern a signal of interest from crowded VLF band.
OBJECTIVE: Demonstrate new VLF receiver front end for NC3 airborne missions.
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