Wireless communicator link from towed/surrogate decoy transmitter to the host aircraft

• US 20030068981A1
• Filed: 10/05/2001
• Published: 04/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Duthie, Joseph S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,804,495 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 2/00 Reflecting targets, e.g. radar-reflector targets; Active targets transmitting electromagnetic or acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 9/10 towed

Abstract

The present invention relates to a towed/surrogate decoy transmitter connectable via the tow cable to a platform or host aircraft using a wireless communicator link, the link providing useful performance and status information of the decoy transmitter to the host aircraft and providing the decoy with control and optimization information from the platform. The tow cable provides a mechanical connection to the host aircraft as well as a prime power connection and in some cases, a fiber optic (FO) interface. In order to optimize the protection provided by the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter, the host aircraft will use the wireless communication link to transmit operational status and control adjustment data back to the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter. The towed/surrogate decoy transmitter utilizes a wireless communicator link that can transmit data to any cooperative host aircraft and any other cooperative towed/surrogate decoy transmitters.

Claims

1. A communication system between a platform and a towed/surrogate decoy transmitter, capable of monitoring and controlling the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter output RF ECM transmission comprising:

a) a tow line, having at least one communication conductor extending therethrough, the tow line having a first end connected to the platform and a second end connected to the decoy transmitter, such that the tow line provides a structural and an one-way communication link between the platform and the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter; and

b) the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter, connected to the second end of the tow line, further comprising a wireless two-way RF communication link between the platform and the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter, said link providing a performance data path for performance data from the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter to the platform and an operational adjust data path for operational adjust data from the platform to the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, in which the one-way communication link further comprises an optical transmitter on the platform, an optical receiver on the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter, and a fiber optic cable extending therethrough the tow line.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, in which a power cable in the tow line, said power cable, extending therethrough the tow line, such that the tow line provides power to the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter.

4. The system as recited in claim 3 in which the wireless two-way RF communication link further comprises a decoy RF wireless transceiver, and a host RF wireless transceiver, such that the transceivers provide the performance data path and the operational control adjustment data path.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, in which the wireless two-way RF communication link further comprises a decoy operational controller, the decoy operational controller is in communication with the decoy RF wireless transceiver, such that the decoy operational control will process the operational control adjustment data received by the decoy RF wireless transceiver from the platform RF wireless transceiver and change any required operating parameters of the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, in which the wireless two-way RF communication link further comprises a BIT (Built-In-Test) circuitry, the BIT circuitry is in communication with the decoy operational control, such that the BIT circuitry provides the performance data to the decoy operational control from performance monitoring circuitry within the decoy transmitter, the decoy operational controller outputting the performance data for transmission to the platform through the decoy RF wireless transceiver.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, further comprises a decoy transmitter circuitry, a decoy transmitter circuitry input is in communication with the tow line communication conductor, such that the tow line communication conductor provides a signal path for a decoy RF input signal to the decoy transmitter circuitry.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, further comprises a decoy antenna, the decoy antenna is in communication with the decoy transmitter circuitry, such that after the decoy RF input signal has been processed, it is retransmitted from the decoy antenna instead of from the platform.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, in which the BIT circuitry further comprises a power detector that is located in a radiating aperture of the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter.

10. The system as recited in claim 9, in which the RF wireless transceivers utilize a separate antenna from the RF ECM transmission antenna used by the platform or the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter.

11. The system as recited in claim 9, in which the operational adjust data is injected onto a RF ECM high power transmit path of the platform, to be received by a RF transceiver on the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter.

12. The system as recited in claim 10, in which said towed/surrogate decoy RF wireless transceiver and said platform rf wireless transceiver receive from and retransmit to a plurality of platform RF wireless transceivers and a plurality of decoy RF wireless transceivers.

13. The system as recited in claim 11, in which said towed/surrogate decoy RF wireless transceiver and said platform rf wireless transceiver receive from and retransmit to a plurality of platform RF wireless transceivers and a plurality of decoy RF wireless transceivers.

14. A communication system between a platform and a towed/surrogate decoy transmitter, acting as a repeater, capable of monitoring and controlling the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter output RF ECM transmission comprising:

a) a tow line, having at least one power conductor extending therethrough, the tow line having a first end connected to the platform and a second end connected to the decoy transmitter, such that the tow line provides a structural and a power link between the platform and the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter; and

b) the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter, connected to the second end of the tow line, further comprising a wireless two-way RF communication link between the platform and the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter, said link providing a performance data path of a performance data from the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter to the platform and an operational adjust data path of an operational control adjustment data from the platform to the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, in which the RF ECM transmission from the decoy originates from the transmission of a RF based tracking radar.

16. The system as recited in claim 15 in which the wireless two-way RF communication link further comprises a decoy RF wireless transceiver, and a host RF wireless transceiver, such that the transceivers provide the performance data path and the operational control adjustment data path.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, in which the wireless two-way RF communication link further comprises a decoy operational controller, the decoy operational controller is in communication with the decoy RF wireless transceiver, such that the decoy operational control will process the operational control adjustment data received by the decoy RF wireless transceiver from the platform RF wireless transceiver and change any required operating parameters of the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, in which the wireless two-way RF communication link further comprises a BIT (Built-In-Test) circuitry, the BIT circuitry is in communication with the decoy operational controller, such that the BIT circuitry provides the performance data to the decoy operational control for monitoring performance parameters and outputting the performance data for transmission to the platform by the decoy RF wireless transceiver.

19. The system as recited in claim 18, further comprises a decoy antenna, the decoy antenna is in communication with the decoy transmitter circuitry, such that the RF input signal, is amplified and is retransmitted from the decoy antenna instead of from the platform.

20. The system as recited in claim 19, further comprises a communication path between the BIT circuitry and the decoy transmitter circuitry, such that the BIT circuitry monitors performance parameters of the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, in which the BIT circuitry further comprises a power detector that is located in a radiating aperture of the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter.

22. The system as recited in claim 21, in which the RF wireless transceivers utilize a separate antenna from a RF ECM transmission antenna used by the platform or the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter.

23. The system as recited in claim 21, in which said towed/surrogate decoy RF wireless transceiver and said platform RF wireless transceiver receive from and retransmit to a plurality of platform RF wireless transceivers and a plurality of decoy RF wireless transceivers.

24. The system as recited in claim 22, in which said towed/surrogate decoy RF wireless transceiver and said platform RF wireless transceiver receive from and retransmit to a plurality of platform RF wireless transceivers and a plurality of decoy RF wireless transceivers.

25. A method for providing a RF wireless communication link between a platform and a towed/surrogate decoy transmitter, the steps comprising:

a) connecting the first end of a towline from the platform and the second end to the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter;

b) transmitting a RF drive signal from the platform through the tow line to the physically attached towed/surrogate decoy transmitter;

c) transmitting an RF ECM transmission from the towed decoy, to deceive a RF based tracking radar, generated from the RF drive signal;

d) monitoring the RF transmission operational parameters utilizing BIT circuitry;

e) transmitting a performance data of the operational parameters of the RF transmission from the decoy RF wireless transceiver to the platform RF wireless transceiver;

f) processing all of the transmitted performance data by platform; and

g) transmitting an operational control adjustment data to the decoy RF wireless transceiver of the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter;

h) processing the operational control adjustment data in the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter to adjust the operational parameters; and

i) transmitting an adjusted RF ECM transmission.

26. A method for providing a RF wireless communication link between a platform and a towed/surrogate decoy transmitter, acting as a repeater, the steps comprising:

a) connecting the first end of a towline from the platform and the second end to the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter;

b) providing power from the platform through the tow line to the physically attached towed/surrogate decoy transmitter;

c) retransmitting a RF ECM transmission, established from a separate RF based tracking radar source, from the towed decoy, to deceive the RF based tracking missile;

d) monitoring the RF transmission operational parameters by a BIT circuit;

e) transmitting a performance data of the operational parameters of the RF transmission from the decoy RF wireless transceiver to the platform RF wireless transceiver;

f) processing all of the transmitted performance data by platform; and

g) transmitting an operational control adjustment data to the decoy RF wireless transceiver of the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter;

h) processing the operational control adjustment data in the towed/surrogate decoy transmitter to adjust the operational parameters; and

i) transmitting an adjusted RF ECM transmission, established from the separate RF based tracking source.