Metron, Incorporated SBIR Phase II Award, July 2019

Metron proposes to design a sonar bistatic active processing concept to exploit off-board active transmissions for improved target prosecution. A fundamental challenge with bistatic operation is high fidelity estimation of the source kinematic state and transmission state parameters. A critical goal of our proposed effort is a methodical mapping of source state estimate and its uncertainty through the signal and information processing chain and its impact on target detection, tracking and localization. Our fundamental Phase II goal is to develop a Common Bistatic Detection, Tracking and Classification Information Processing System. The Phase II objectives include (1) extend and demonstrate multistatic sonar technologies, enabled by multi-receiver/multi-path sensor processing and joint source-target state estimation, to exploit active transmissions; (2) develop a Common Bi-Static/Multi-Static capability that is extensible to general platforms and receive arrays; (3) develop, demonstrate, and validate multistatic real-time prototype software suitable for inclusion in a future ACB build for the AN/SQQ-89; (4) evaluate proof-of concept multistatic capability using recorded at-sea data and simulated data; and (5) assess performance of prototype software using quantitative measures of performance and the Navy’s peer-review evaluation process.