| Covert communications links are highly desirable
for unmanned vehicle applications in which the presence, and hence location,
of the vehicle must not be compromised by the long range detection of electromagnetic
emissions radiated from the platform. In addition, an anti-jam (AJ) command
and control uplink is critical to the survivability of unmanned aerial
vehicles in either hostile or high electromagnetic interference (EMI) environments.
Ultra wideband (UWB) technology, well-known for its ground penetrating
radar applications, has been demonstrated to possess both low probability
of intercept and detection (LPI/D) as well as AJ features when properly
deployed in a communications system design. Such waveforms provide a unique
form of spread spectrum communications utilizing extremely short duration
pulses (typically 1-2 nanoseconds) and low average power levels (typically
only a few microwatts). UWB systems are also characterized by their low
cost, all-digital design, small size, and light weight, making them ideally
suited to unmanned vehicle applications. 6 pages. |