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Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) that provide true north-finding capabilities is an extremely helpful and flexible alternative because it allows vehicles to have high accuracy orientation capabilities for their mounted weapons or radar payloads. Home • PNT Library • Equipment Pointing & Radar Directional Capabilities For Defense Applications Equipment Pointing & Radar Directional Capabilities For Defense Applications DOWNLOAD PDF By Anthony Full Problem We Solve In order to properly orient a vehicle-mounted weapon, or any radar system that relies on global navigation satellite signals, vehicle crews need accurate heading data to point their equipment. Operators may start with estimating trajectory paths, but it is hard to know exactly where their equipment is pointing because any slight change in angle causes a massive change in impact location or radar direction. Operating in a GNSS-denied environment also presents challenges, and it would be time consuming and potentially dangerous to wait for clean signal reception. Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) that provide true north-finding capabilities is an extremely helpful and flexible alternative because it allows vehicles to have high accuracy orientation capabilities for their mounted weapons or radar payloads. They can minutely adjust their angles or rotation without the aid of GPS, and without being susceptible to vibrations and shocks. Why Is It Important Having precise orientation capabilities is critical in ensuring weapons effectively designate their targets. Likewise, having accurate orientation in radar systems is essential in the process of geographically locating objects. The act of orienting a vehicle weapon or radar is not trivial: accurate shooting requires complex calculations from numerous factors including determining level ground, finding the north pole, measuring wind speed and direction, and elevation of the target. Highly accurate equipment pointing can mean the difference between mission failure and success. Therefore, having a robust navigation system that can provide heading data in real time is of paramount importance for defense applications. Given that the National Intelligence Council has identified an increasing trend in jamming and spoofing attacks, the need for navigation systems to be able to operate independent of GPS signals is also becoming important. Inertial navigation systems need to be able to operate in both normal conditions as well as GPS-denied environments. Of course, there are different grades of accuracy for equipment pointing depending on your needs. And we’ll cover the most relevant solutions next. How We Solve it When it comes to navigation systems that can provide heading data in real time Safran has field-proven solutions for diverse defense applications. The Geonyx product incorporates HRG technology, unlike GPS, INS does not rely on external signals for navigation and heading. Instead, it uses motion sensors and rotation sensors to calculate the position, orientation and velocity of the vehicle based on internal data. The Geonyx will output pitch, roll, and heading data to the vehicles weapon system or to the vehicles radar system via ethernet. GEONYX INERTIAL NAVIGATION SYSTEM Geonyx is an INS solution for ground vehicles and artillery pointing systems, offering a virtually unlimited and maintenance-free lifespan. It can achieve a pointing accuracy of <0.5 mils thanks to HRG Crystal technology. It has quick and flexible alignment – even in GNSS-denied environments. DOWNLOAD PDF

An Inertial Navigation System (INS) that provides reliable position and heading data is a unique backup solution because it allows vehicles to stay on course and maintain awareness of where they are without a GPS connection Home • PNT Library • Land Vehicle Navigation in GNSS-Denied Environments for Defense Applications Land Vehicle Navigation in GNSS-Denied Environments for Defense Applications DOWNLOAD PDF By Anthony Full Problem We Solve In order to safely travel from one location to another during an operation, or maintain navigation capabilities in a contested environment, ground vehicle crews need ways to protect against GPS satellite signal threats and ensure that they reach their intended destination. Operating in a GNSS-denied environment presents challenges to most navigation systems, because they can either be jammed, or deceptively guided off course via spoofing attacks. An Inertial Navigation System (INS) that provides reliable position and heading data without the aid of GPS satellite signals is a unique backup solution because it allows vehicles to stay on course and maintain awareness of where they are as if they never lost connection with GPS. An INS can provide the critical current-location data and ensure that other navigation equipment continues to operate during the mission. Why Is It Important Precise location and navigation capabilities are essential for mission planning, execution and coordination with other units. Inaccurate navigation can lead to mission failure, unintended engagements, or even friendly fire incidents. Ground vehicles in defense operations often navigate in challenging environments where traditional GPS signals are contested or unreliable. This includes dense urban areas, heavily forested regions, or any areas where enemies employ electronic warfare to disrupt GPS signals. Navigating accurately in such conditions is crucial for mission success and the safety of personnel. Therefore, having a robust navigation system that can provide both location of the vehicle real time as well as its precise orientation and direction/heading is of paramount importance for defense applications. In the figure above, we can see that when a vehicle passes through an GNSS-denied area, its navigation system might be thrown off and report a different location compared to the true position. However, with an accurate INS, it can continue along the intended route as well as stay free from excessive drift. Drift occurs when the navigation system is not using external signals for navigation, but rather evolving in pure inertial conditions and over time, the accuracy worsens. Of course, there are different grades of accuracy for navigation depending on your needs. And we’ll cover the most relevant solutions next. How We Solve it Safran has developed a dependable inertial navigation system – The Geonyx – that provides route guidance in GNSS-denied environments. The Geonyx ensures that the vehicle can navigate effectively in spite of satellite signal interference. It incorporates HRG technology and, unlike GPS, INS does not rely on external satellite signals for navigation and heading. Instead, it uses motion sensors and rotation sensors to calculate the position, orientation and velocity of the vehicle based on internal data. The Geonyx will output coordinates of the vehicles current location as well as the data on its intended position to the vehicle’s battle management system (BMS). The Geonyx is able to maintain an outstanding level of accuracy of a couple meters after tens of miles of pure inertial navigation. GEONYX INERTIAL NAVIGATION SYSTEM Geonyx is a combat-proven INS solution for ground vehicles, augmenting battle management systems. With its ruggedized design, it offers a virtually unlimited and maintenance-free lifespan. It can achieve a heading accuracy as good as 0.5 mils thanks to HRG Crystal technology. It has quick and flexible alignment – even in GNSS-denied environments. DOWNLOAD PDF

This paper outlines how to turn on/off spoofers and repeaters, adjust their power, and set a pseudorange offset. An example scenario will show the manual process by configuring the Skydel instances and the automated process by utilizing Skydel’s Python API. Home • PNT Library • Controlling Power & Pseudorange Offsets of a Repeater Threat Controlling Power & Pseudorange Offsets of a Repeater Threat DOWNLOAD PDF By Jaemin Powell DOWNLOAD PDF

More space missions are taking place in Lower Earth Orbit (LEO). Newer, more advanced receivers are needed to have sufficient PNT capabilities. Doppler shifts experienced on these missions will be high, however, robust testing to ensure mission success is achievable... Home • PNT Library • Doppler Effects on Spaceborne PNT Applications Doppler Effects on Spaceborne PNT Applications DOWNLOAD PDF By Joshua Prentice Since the very first space missions positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) have been crucial for spaceborne applications. Traditionally, space vehicle PNT has been achieved through various combinations of ground stations, optical navigation, onboard high-precision clocks, inertial measurement units, and other methods. Only recently, however, has existing global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) been added to that list. GNSS constellations were designed to provide PNT for Earth-borne applications taking place on the ground, sea, or in the atmosphere. As such, those GNSS waveforms are primarily aimed toward the Earth, but there is a small amount of spill-over of the main lobe beyond the silhouette of Earth and into space. Additionally, the side lobes of most GNSS waveforms are also broadcast into space beyond Earth. Because these signals are visible from orbit, they can conceivably be used for the PNT of space vehicles. In terms of spaceborne navigation from GNSS constellations, there are generally two main orbital regions of concern. Altitudes between Earth and the GNSS altitude, known as being under the “canopy”, and altitudes above the GNSS canopy as shown below in Figure 1. Figure 1: Below and Above the GNSS Canopy When orbiting the Earth underneath the GNSS canopy the receiver antenna must point “skyward” towards the GNSS constellations. This scenario is more closely related to traditional GNSS navigation, although satellites will rise and set more frequently. The full spectrum of these signals is available with the advantage of stronger signal strength compared to surface and low-atmospheric operations. In scenarios where the receiver vehicle is orbiting above the GNSS canopy, navigating based on GNSS constellations becomes much more difficult as the only available portions of the waveform are the main lobe spill-over and the side lobes. For simplification and to limit the scope of this tech brief, the primary area of concern will be space vehicles in geocentric orbits beneath the GNSS canopy. When navigating from GNSS signals Doppler shift is always present no matter how close to the GNSS canopy the receiver is. However, when the navigating receiver is traveling at velocities necessary to maintain a stable orbit, the Doppler shift is much greater. Figure 2: Doppler shift diagram The Doppler shift change in frequency can be expressed as (Parker, 2017): In equation (1) 𝑓₀ is the source carrier frequency, Δ𝑣 is the relative velocity of the space vehicles, and 𝑐₀ is the speed of light. This equation does not account for ionospheric and tropospheric effects encountered when GNSS signals pass through the Earth’s atmosphere. When considering equation (1) for multiple scenarios and orbital altitudes, the speed of light is a constant, and depending on the GNSS constellation being used so is the source carrier frequency. Thus, the biggest factor affecting Doppler shift is the relative velocity of the space vehicles. Because the satellites that make up GNSS constellations are held to very strict orbits with known orbital velocities and those orbits are maintained throughout the lifetime of the constellation, the determining factor of the relative velocity for any given mission is the orbital velocity of the receiver vehicle. It follows that the goal in computing a theoretical maximum Doppler shift a spaceborne receiver may encounter is to maximize the relative velocity between the receiver vehicle and the GNSS vehicle. A scenario that would accomplish this would be a receiver vehicle in very low earth orbit (VLEO) tracking GNSS signals. Spaceborne missions taking place in LEO are a unique case of GNSS PNT due to the high relative velocity compared to the GNSS constellation vehicles while still being beneath the GNSS canopy. The dynamics of such a scenario are some of the highest that a receiver may experience during typical PNT operations. As such, the Doppler search space of receivers deployed in LEO must be much wider than needed for ground, sea, and airborne missions. One example of a very low earth orbit mission (VLEO) is the Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE). The GOCE mission required extremely precise orbit determination to carry out its scientific objective of mapping Earth’s gravity field to an accuracy of 1-2 cm. The GOCE space vehicle maintained an average orbital altitude of 255 km, placing the average orbital velocity around 8 ᵏᵐ⁄ₛ (European Space Agency, 2022). The GOCE mission tracked GPS signals to assist in orbit determination. GPS satellites orbit at an altitude of 20,200 km with an average orbital velocity of roughly 4 ᵏᵐ⁄ₛ (US Space Force, 2022). Figure 3: GOCE Missions in VLEO have much shorter durations than other spaceborne missions due to the need for constant orbital maintenance maneuvers to counteract the atmospheric drag, and as such, it can be considered the lower limit of possible orbital altitudes. To estimate a maximum possible Doppler shift the worst possible case scenario would be the receiver satellite travelling in exactly the opposite direction (±180°) of the GNSS vehicle. While this is generally a very rare situation some space vehicles do travel in non-standard orbits, so it is possible. Thus, the relative velocity of the space vehicles can be expressed as: Where: So that: Note that all velocities are expressed as linear for simplification. With an established relative velocity, the maximum estimated Doppler shift can be calculated using the following values: Calculating the Doppler shift using the equation (1) results in: With a worst-case-scenario Doppler shift of 63 kHz, it is imperative to ensure the receiver being placed into orbit can perform under such conditions. Skydel Simulation Engine of the BroadSim product line is capable of simulating spaceborne scenarios, even under conditions where Doppler shift is maximized. One of the default vehicle profiles within Skydel is an Earth-orbiting spacecraft with highly customizable Keplerian elements to define the exact orbit thereceiver vehicle will experience. Should the default spacecraft profile not provide enough customization, Skydel can also be interfaced through hardware in the loop (HIL) where exact positions are pushed to the simulator to simulate the specific trajectory of a receiver vehicle. Unlike some simulators where the Doppler shift will have to be either predetermined or manually added to the scenario, Skydel handles Doppler, ionospheric, and tropospheric effects automatically based on the scenario without requiring user input. Figure 4: Skydel Screenshot LEO and VLEO missions are becoming more and more popular especially in the fields of PNT, from both from a provider and user standpoint. To make sure those missions will have sufficient PNT capabilities advanced receivers will need to be used and new receivers will be developed to fill specific roles and advance current capabilities. While the Doppler shifts experienced by receivers on these missions will be high, robust testing to ensure mission success is capable using BroadSim simulation products powered by Skydel. Commonly Asked Questions About Doppler Effects Why are GNSS signals now being used for space navigation? Historically, space vehicles relied on methods like ground stations, inertial sensors, and onboard clocks for navigation. GNSS was originally designed for Earth-based applications, but signal spillover (main lobe and side lobes) into space now allows satellites to use GNSS for autonomous navigation. Why is this topic important? Reliable, autonomous PNT in space is critical for military satellites, ISR platforms, and scientific missions, especially when access to ground-based navigation aids is unavailable or denied. What causes Doppler shift in spaceborne GNSS reception? The Doppler shift arises from the relative velocity between the receiver spacecraft and the GNSS satellite. The faster the receiver moves in orbit, the more pronounced the frequency shift in received GNSS signals. References European Space Agency. (2022). GOCE Facts and Figures. Retrieved from https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/GOCE/Facts_and_figures Parker, M. (2017). Digital Signal Processing 101. Elsevier Inc. US Space Force. (2022). GPS: The Global Positioning System. Retrieved from https://www.gps.gov/systems/gps/space/#orbits DOWNLOAD PDF

Reliance of GPS in modern land-warfare systems, potential effects of GPS disruption on their operation and considerations for protecting their ability to continue operating in a GPS-disrupted environment. Home • PNT Library • Defense PNT in Challenged Environments Defense PNT in Challenged Environments DOWNLOAD PDF By Tim Erbes DOWNLOAD PDF

Learn about inertial measurement units (IMUs) and their wide range of applications. Safran Federal Systems has a variety of IMU solutions to meet your mission's needs. Home • PNT Library • IMU Application Guide IMU Application Guide DOWNLOAD PDF By Safran Federal Systems Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) are a critical component to a wide range of systems, from Unmanned systems, munitions and other applications for today’s harshest environments. Safran designs and manufactures High Accuracy Gyro and IMU solutions with industry best SWaP to cost ratio. What is an IMU? A combination of accelerometers, rate gyros and electronics • Three accelerometers in the orthogonal sensor axes • Three rate gyros on the same sensor axes • Inertial electronics (IE) to process and output the signals • Outputs are digital rates, accelerations, and status • May be installed in a standalone chassis with a power supply or used as an Inertial Sensor Assembly (ISA) within a navigator. IMUs provide rate and acceleration data in the ‘x’, ‘y’ and ‘z’ axis offering systems live feedback on their movement. In the case of a guided missile, this feedback data ensures the ordinance stays on target while in aircraft they are a critical component ensuring the avionics suite operates and controls the platform as expected. This guide discusses several different IMU types, their applications and how to choose the best variant for your platform. Evolution of Gyroscope Technologies Safran has invested in the next generation of MEMS and Hemispherical Resonating Gyro (HRG) technologies. These implementations offer optimized Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) characteristics, along with industry-leading reliability at both the component and system levels. MEMS gyro technology takes form in our STIM products offering stabilization, guidance and control capabilities to platforms which are SWaP constrained. HRG technologies range from Tactical to Navigation and Navigation+ grade offering platforms northfinding and navigation capabilities. The next page breaks down these applications and how our IMU systems are best suited for various applications and environments. IMU Applications Matching the right IMU technologies to the appropriate application types is critical to ensuring systems react as expected to their environment. Fundamental gyroscope and accelerometer technology types each have their own strengths, Safran’s experts can help in ensuring the right match for your application. Below are 4 common application types along with an example use case. Stabilization Stabilization of gimballed systems requires high speed (low latency) measurement of platform rotations and vibrations, with low latency feedback to servo mechanisms that cancel out the motion, enabling stable pointing of cameras, other optical systems, or remote weapons. Applications Stabilization of cameras or other optical systems. Stabilization of Remote Weapon Systems Key Attributes High bandwidth Low latency Shock and vibe resilience Guidance/Control Guidance refers to the determination of the desired path of travel, or trajectory, to a designated target. Control refers to the manipulation of the forces, by way of steering controls, thrusters, etc., needed to execute guidance commands while maintaining vehicle stability. Applications Missile guidance, guided munitions, space launches where inertial data are used to control wings and thrusters Key Attributes High bandwidth Low latency Shock and vibe resilience Low cost for attritable systems. Orientation/AHRS Orientation is the ability to provide a local level and a heading reference such as azimuth and elevation (ground applications) or pitch, roll and heading (airborne applications). Orienation can be achieved with medium performance gyros and accelerometers. Applications Provides a navigation aid to smaller aircraft including private jets. May be used as a backup to a full navigation system in a larger commercial aircraft. Key Attributes Good short term bias instability Low noise Low cost for price sensitive commercial markets STIM Product Suite Safran manufactures IMUs and sets a new standard for precision and performance by utilizing our proprietary inertial sensor technology. Our IMUs are engineered to excel in the Defense, Industrial, Aerospace, and Commercial sectors. Gyro range: Up to 1200°/s Gyro bias: 0.3°/hr Gyro ARW: 0.1-0.15°/hr Gyro scale factor: 500 ppm 1sigma Accelerometer Specs Range: Up to 100g Bias: Down to 100μg 1sigma Scale Factor: 200 ppm 1sigma Northfinding Northfinding refers to the precise measurement of Earth’s rotational rate to determine true north. True north is the standard reference for the heading or pointing vector of a vehicle or system.Safran has offerings which are gun-hardened and offer angle accuracy of better than 0.3 mils seclat. Applications Pointing of weapons, determination of heading to target, determination of vehicle heading as an aid to navigation. Key Attributes Low noise Good bias stability Navigation- GPS/INS Navigation refers to the determination, at a given time, of the vehicle’s location and velocity (the “state vector” as well as its attitude (roll, pitch, and yaw). High accuracy position and heading solutions can be obtained from filtered combination of GPS and inertial sensor inputs. Applications Ubiquitous in both commercial and defense aircraft, ground based defense vehicles, surface sea vessels, uncrewed aerial and ground vehicles. Key Attributes Navigation grade bias stability for inertial sensors Navigation- GPS Denied Navigation in GPS challenged theaters requires inertial sensors with extremely high long term stability, enabling high accuracy position and heading determination even when GPS is jammed or spoofed. Applications Necessary for long range undersea navigation, increasingly relevant for defense aircraft due to GPS denial. Key Attributes Long term bias stability of inertial sensors ICONYX ICONYX™ is a high-performance tactical grade Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) for guidance and control applications. ICONYX™ is designed to meet the most demanding environmental conditions with extreme accuracy and reliability. Gyro range: Up to 2000°/s Gyro bias: 0.15 °/h 1sigma Gyro ARW: 0.001 °/√h max Gyro scale factor: 50 ppm 1sigma Accelerometer Specs : Range: Up to 100g Bias: Down to 100μg 1sigma Scale Factor: 200 ppm 1sigma DOWNLOAD PDF

The interference threat information provided from a Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna (CRPA) combined with reliable PNT sources, such as the Safran VersaPNT and Geonyx systems, can deliver situational awareness information, such as the approximate position of interference threat sources. Home • PNT Library • Interference Threat Position Awareness Interference Threat Position Awareness DOWNLOAD PDF By Garrett Payne and Dylan Dayton Real-time interference detection for Situational Awareness (SA) The interference threat information provided from a Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna (CRPA) combined with reliable PNT sources, such as the Safran VersaPNT and Geonyx systems, can deliver situational awareness information, such as the approximate position of interference threat sources. A CRPA was integrated with a Geonyx system and tested operationally.. The CRPA, combined with the accurate heading of the Geonyx, proved to provide robust threat direction finding abilities. Technology Used CRPA Antenna A CRPA is a type of antenna system featuring multiple antenna elements designed to enhance the resilience and performance of Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers by mitigating interference VersaPNT The VersaPNT is a robust Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) solution and can be configured to use external PNT sensors and devices which include but are not limited to a CRPA. Geonyx The Geonyx is a land true-inertial navigation, target geolocation & artillery pointing system. CRPA Interface The interference direction-finding system utilized a Novatel GAJT-710 (7-element CRPA) for detecting interference and providing information on detected signals. The GAJT-710 provides interference detection on both GPS L1 and L2 bands and can detect up to 6 simultaneous threats per band. The system parsed the data feed from the CRPA to get information of detected interference and calculate relative directions to suspected threat emitters. Geonyx Interface The interference direction-finding system utilized a Geonyx system for providing position and heading data for absolute positioning. The VersaPNT has also been used to provide position and heading data, similar to the Geonyx. With knowledge of the absolute position and heading of the system, the absolute direction to detected interference can be calculated. The CRPA provides interference relative to antenna heading. Assuming the pointing angle between the CRPA and the Geonyx is known, the relative angles of interference can be converted to absolute angles. GUI Creation and Use The prototype UI shows the threat information detected from the CRPA in real time: • Signal strength, azimuth angle, and elevation angles are shown for detected threats on L1 and L2 bands. • Lines of bearing are calculated using the absolute position and heading from the Geonyx and can be shown on a map. Future Work The prototype ran on separate hardware, so the next step of integration will be to integrate directly on existing navigation/timing systems. Systems will directly intake the CRPA feed and use internal position and heading for calculating absolute bearing to threats. Threat lines of bearing will be shown on system WebUI and updated in real time. Algorithms will be developed and refined for calculating the absolute position of threats based upon lines of bearing. With enough system movement, the changes in lines of bearing over time can be used to detect the position of threat emitters. DOWNLOAD PDF

Prepare for tomorrow. Find vulnerabilities today. Dive into the world of GPS interferences, how threats have evolved, and how engineers are using methods such as simulation to innovate and mitigate. Home • PNT Library • Simulation Against Jamming and Spoofing Simulation Against Jamming and Spoofing DOWNLOAD PDF By Tim Erbes DOWNLOAD PDF

As an engineer testing navigation systems, it is critical to be be hardware-prepared, able to conduct post-event analysis with ease, and to understand and interpret your data with clarity and confidence. Home • PNT Library • 2019 GPS Week Rollover: Assurance Made Easy 2019 GPS Week Rollover: Assurance Made Easy DOWNLOAD PDF By Safran Federal Systems DOWNLOAD PDF

Skydel has eliminated calibration inefficiencies by autonomously time, phase and power aligning the signals for you. Now you can focus on the more important tasks of testing, verifying, and validating your CRPA navigation system’s performance without calibration concerns. Home • PNT Library • Skydel Wavefront Calibration Tech Brief Skydel Wavefront Calibration Tech Brief DOWNLOAD PDF By Jaemin Powell DOWNLOAD PDF

"Fun" and "productive" aren't your typical words used to describe testing, but with PANACEA, testing is more than just a task. Capture meaningful data, get quicker results with less effort, and make faster decisions. Home • PNT Library • GPS Receiver Testing From the Lab to the Field GPS Receiver Testing From the Lab to the Field DOWNLOAD PDF By Safran Federal Systems It’s Hard to Keep Time and Data Straight Multiple receivers testing in parallel Time tagging and error computation in real-time Data in numerous formats-apples-to-apples comparison Comprehensive data logging with simple quick look reports Agile testing - test and adapt quickly using results Final reports and conclusions automatically generated Leveraging PANACEA, it’s possible to script entire tests, control hardware, and log data. Getting Results with Less Effort - Making Field Tests Fun and Productive GPS vulnerability testing began with the creation of the NAVWAR program and investigates navigation system performance in the presence of interference signals. This testing is crucial for the design, development, fielding, sustainment and mission planning of the DoD as well as commercial PNT systems. The testing is typically conducted in three steps involving modeling and simulation, lab/ chamber testing, and live fire field test exercises. Safran professionals have been engaged in NAVWAR initiatives since the early 2000s, supporting efforts across all three stages of development. This involvement has extended to working alongside U.S. defense organizations tasked with advancing navigation warfare capabilities. While these government entities lead such efforts, numerous product groups and vendors are required to test and validate their systems to ensure reliable performance for their customers. Safran has partnered with these stakeholders by providing proven expertise, test methods, and tools for system evaluation. With compounding test variables from evolving threats to complex integrations, the testing process and ability to capture meaningful results is daunting. PANACEA was built to support hardware-in-the-loop testing regardless of whether it’s in the lab, chamber or at a live fire field test. Beginning with lab testing, PANACEA reduces the risks of field tests and identifies the projected results allowing for organizations to concentrate on the tests that matter most. These pre-run scenarios can then be prepared for live fire field testing. Similar hardware can then be used to reduce field testing costs while also streamlining the test execution and errors that may result from human control. Using PANACEA,timelines can be simple or complex with the ability to change signal interferences quickly and accurately. The units under test are also controlled, configured, and reporting data to the PANACEA computer, allowing for the time synchronization between live fire events and the logged receiver data. The true power is the knowledge gained in real-time, allowing testers to quickly quantify test success or failures with the ability to be agile and retest scenarios on the fly. Lab Testing Prior testing in the lab is paramount to a successful field exercise. Understanding the systems capabilities and pre-running the scenarios of interest provide a baseline to form hypotheses from. Thousands of scenarios can automatically be tested and then modified to arrive at the scenarios of highest interest. Engineers can then use these tested and calibrated scenarios at field events for increased success. These baselines also support a benchmark for field testers to understand if things are “going well” in the field. Lab testing also vets the data collection process and enables final report baselines which often forces the testers to rethink the questions that need to be asked, and the data required to answer those questions. Configuring Units Under Test (UUTs) The most important part of any test is the UUT. Ensuring the UUT is configured correct such that data can be gathered on its performance while not impacting the test. This setup could be identical to the lab setup, again reducing risk and cost. One major difference when field testing versus lab testing is that the timeline continues to move forward instead of a fixed start and stop time. PANACEA allows the user to select the start time to be time synchronized with a receiver/live sky orto use the PC system time. This time scale allows all the receiver data to be gathered and coordinated to permit apples-to-apples comparison. A truth reference is also included (A GNSS receiver tracking a non-effected constellation) to permit real-time error computations while dynamic or at arbitrary points. The other option would be to presurvey the points and use those as the reference in your scenario. Taking the Lab to the Field n preparation for field testing, the inevitable question of what hardware will be used comes up. In some cases, lab equipment must stay in a sterile environment, but in many cases, lab equipment can be outfitted to support field tests as well. The value is more than the added cost of having to purchase two separate systems. Using common equipment reduces risk in commonality between tests as well as operations, maintenance and tester training in operating different equipment. PANACEA has been built to support the direct injection of RF as well as Over-The-Air (OTA) transmission ensuring that field tests match what was run in the lab. Data Reduction and Dissemination While the focus of a field test is generally on the test articles, participants and timelines, a larger consideration should be the data collection process and how that data will be used to arrive at conclusions. Many hours are spent on building test log formats, time scales, and data entry forms. These are still beneficial to provide cross checks, but the focus should be on automating the data collection and the ability to quickly and confidently analyze the data. Time stamping is crucial, and in some cases, external references must be used. These files should also have a consistent format to enable easy comparisons and analysis without question. These files along with the analysis artifacts need to be made available to support the report and permit future testers to dig into the data in preparation for future tests. PANACEA and Panorama provide a cohesive data collection and reporting capability that enables testers to show the data in real-time providing near instant after action reporting. By providing senior leaders and test supervisors results within hours after the test completion, decisions regarding how to proceed with the following tests can be made as opposed to blindly testing and collecting data. The quick look reports can then be created the same week and provide results for a reduced timeline. In most cases, the longer the reporting takes and the further from the test event the analyst is pushed, the more likely the report will be flawed. Summary The ability to conduct them as efficiently as possible has always been a function of understanding the systems in the planning process and the ability to quickly and cohesively gather data during the event. PANACEA was designed specifically for these actions and has become a primary resource for many organizations conducting NAVWAR exercises. Using common hardware, processes, and reporting in all phases of testing, PANACEA provides the lowest cost, risk and schedule while enabling the highest results. Maybe the least considered attribute to testing in this manner is the tester feedback. Making the tests “fun” and less stressful on test engineers also promotes better results. Stress free test engineers tend to focus on the results and conclusions and less on the laborious button pushing, data filing, and recollection of what happened during the tests. DOWNLOAD PDF

Establishing realistic terrain effects within a NAVWAR simulator is becoming a highly sought-after feature when testing PNT systems for the warfighter. The BroadSim Product Family now provides a real-time Terrain Plug-In solution... Home • PNT Library • BroadSim's Real-Time Terrain Effects BroadSim's Real-Time Terrain Effects DOWNLOAD PDF By Jaemin Powell Intro Establishing realistic terrain effects within a Navigation Warfare (NAVWAR) simulator is becoming a highly sought-after feature when testing Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) systems for the warfighter. The BroadSim Product Family now provides a real-time Terrain Plug-In solution to create scenarios with terrain attenuated threat signals, i.e., jammers, spoofers, or repeaters. Simply just add the Terrain Plug-In to your threat infested scenario and you will immediately have real-time terrain effects throughout your simulation. At a 50 Hz update rate, the user-interface of the Terrain Plug-In displays: A terrain profile of the vehicle and the threat (selected from the dropdown menu), the position of the threat and UUT on a map, and the attenuation for each signal. Conclusion The Terrain Plug-In allows the user to easily replicate similar situations from real-world events or field tests, such as NAVFEST or PNTAX, without needing to know terms like knife-edge diffraction or smooth earth diffraction. Replicating real-world situations and field tests in the simulation environment saves time, money, and resources by allowing developers and users to test PNT systems at any time of the year. This capability was designed so that manufacturers and end-users can better develop and test cutting edge PNT solutions to protect and enable the warfighter. Don’t let the capabilities of your simulator hold you back from testing your PNT system requirements! For more information on the Terrain Plug-In or any other BroadSim Product Family capabilities, please contact Safran Federal Systems . DOWNLOAD PDF