Using STK for on-the-air Missile/Weapons Range Mission Readiness and Mission Capability Assurance Steve Williams RT Logic 12515 Academy Ridge View Colorado Springs, CO 80920 719-598-2801, swilliams@rtlogic.com

T400CS Channel Simulator Overview Receive Station Or System Whenever transmitters and receivers are in motion with respect to each other…

T400CS Channel Simulator Overview Receive Station Or System …flight and ground systems must be fully tested against these conditions. Doppler Shift Range attenuation Range delay Ambient RF noise Jammers and interferers Frequency selection, power levels and antenna characteristics Modulation type and data rate Terrain and overhead obscuration Natural and man-made atmospheric conditions Flight paths, Orbits and Ground paths Ground locations Etc. Nominal and worst-case RF COMMS Link Tests Are Critical

T400CS Channel Simulator Overview Flight Equipment Testing Examples: Receivers, transmitters, modems, decoders, algorithms, etc. Ground Equipment Testing Examples: Receivers, transmitters, modems, decoders, algorithms, etc. Inter-vehicle Links Example: LEO passing data to GEO COMMS on the Move Examples: Bouncing antenna on a Truck, Rolling antennas on Ships, Etc. Test Range Testing Examples: Air-to-Ground, Ground-to-Air, Air-to-Air Weapons, Etc.

T400CS Channel Simulator Overview Tests must be realistic to have value Nominal Case Worst Case “Gold” Regression Tests Relative motion and flight paths relate to most of the difficult conditions that need to be tested against RT Logic Photo

T400CS Channel Simulator Overview Perfect Blend T400CS adds hardware-in-the-loop testing to STK modeling AGI’s STK Setup, visualization and physics engine Flight paths, RF COMMS parameters, Ground locations Don’t have to understand flight/orbital dynamics Calculations are complex  keep focused on work, not on tool Very technical channel simulator user model without STK commanding of T400CS RT Logic’s T400CS Channel Simulator Generates actual IF / RF signals High fidelity, physics-compliant test signals from STK models Phase-continuous, smooth interpolation Carrier Doppler and Signal Doppler Signal impairments (Noise, fading, plume effect, etc.)

T400CS Simplified Block Diagram STK RF Frequency Down-Converters RT Logic T400CS Channel Simulator RF Frequency Up-Converters Signal Generators Spectrum Analyzers Channel Simulators STK Engine Files RT Logic STK Bridge Device Under Test Ethernet IF / RF Signal Conditioners 4DX Amplifiers RT Logic GUI

Application Example Range Testing

Test Ranges General Test Range Business Model STK Channel Simulator Provide area for test flights Provide safety to test operations Collect telemetry from vehicles under test Return best-source telemetry to customer STK Provides key test planning tool Channel Simulator Provides key signal generation tool Large investments are at stake Lives Money (ALCM ($1M) + B-52 + Crew + Fuel + Range Staff + Range Fees …) Range time is in short supply Some test are one-shot and can’t be reflown Together, these create a vital and unique range operations and mission assurance solution.

Loading ALCM to B-52 Bomb Bay USAF Photo

Loading ALCM on B-52 External Pylons USAF Photo

B-52 Takeoff USAF Photo

B-52 in Flight with ALCMs on External Pylons USAF Photo

ALCM Launch from B-52 Bomb Bay USAF Photo

ALCM Test Flight USAF Photo

ALCM Transmitting Telemetry TM Site Telemetry from ALCM Boeing Photo

Different Attenuation ALCM Test Flight TM Site TM Site Same general signal at Each TM site from ALCM: Different Doppler Different Delay Different Attenuation Etc. TM Site TM Site (Mobile) USAF Photo TM Site

ALCM Test Flight Mission Control Center: TM Site Mission Control Center: Mission safety and best-source telemetry TM Site TM Site TM Site (Mobile) USAF Photo TM Site

Range and Mission Assurance Asset TM Site TM Site T400CS Channel Simulator + STK Generates the same signals, but no flight is required. Key Range and Mission Assurance Asset. TM Site TM Site (Mobile) USAF Photo TM Site

Initial System Test (15 Jul 2009 @ UTTR)

UTTR – Wendover Peak TM Site UTTR Goshute TM Site (as viewed from Wendover Peak TM site) RT Logic Photo RT Logic Photo

UTTR Wendover Peak TM Site Spectrum Analyzer (Top) S-Band Power Amplifier (Middle Unit) RT Logic T400CS Channel Simulator (Bottom Unit) RT Logic Photo RT Logic Photo Laptop Running STK and T400STK Bridge RT Logic Photo

UTTR Wendover Peak TM Site Transmit Signals from Wendover Peak to Goshute as if they came from the ALCM. RT Logic Photo

UTTR Wendover Peak TM Site RT Logic Photo RT Logic Photo

UTTR Test Results Assure T400CS STK bridge functionality Assure T400CS with STK can transmit properly perturbed flight path data, at RF, to a distant TM site. Assure normal MCC receipt of collected TM data. Obtain data from an actual mission ALCM Telemetry Pointing Data (Azimuth, Elevation, Time) Generate STK scenario from actual mission Run STK scenario driving Channel Simulators with actual data Compare MCC results from simulated mission to those from actual mission Run similar tests at WSMR (late August, 2009)

How AGI software was applied T400STK Bridge Uses STK Engine Receives events from STK when important changes take place Queries STK for additional data when these events occur Performs further T400CS-specific calculations Sends commands to T400CS via TCP/IP Sockets No STK modifications were necessary

How AGI software was applied Temporary use of “Chains” to specify T400CS operation.

How AGI software was applied STK 9 Implementation will be much better integrated.

Key technical attributes Key attributes of STK that enabled this Easy and flexible scenario creation Strong visualization Precise physics-engine modeling STK Engine / True “Components” Architecture Excellent customer support Key attributes of T400CS that enabled this True-to-nature signal generation Hardware-in-the-loop capability Client / Server instrument software model Modular hardware and software architecture Ethernet programmable

Summary STK is a world-class modeling tool. T400CS is a world-class channel simulator. Together, they enable true test. Reduces test time and cost. Reduces danger of some tests. Improves depth and accuracy of test. Keeps engineers focused on tests, not tools. Creates a unique test system for a wide variety of applications.