CRFS has introduced the RFeye AirDefense, a passive wide-area 3D geolocation and intelligence system that can identify and geolocate aircraft transmissions while remaining invisible to electronic detection. Its covert nature makes the system ideal for border monitoring, radar augmentation, target acquisition, spoofing detection and more. RFeye AirDefense solution uses 3D TDOA to achieve highly accurate geolocation of RF emissions from objects such as enemy aircraft without emitting any electromagnetic signature that may give away your presence. Ideal as part of an integrated air defense system.
See without being seen
Most aircraft emit some sort of RF signal, whether they know about it or not. From commercial ADS-B and Airband radio transmissions to military data links (Air-to-Air (A2A) and Air-to-Ground (A2G) tactical data links) and on-board radar.
The RFeye AirDefense system is able to detect and geolocate these transmissions to individually identify airborne targets. This system can be used to monitor the aircraft from their RF transmissions, without being detected. RFeye AirDefense is completely passive and doesn’t emit signals that could compromise position. This solution is an essential addition to air situational awareness in both testing and battlespace environments.
Augment existing radar systems
RFeye AirDefense can operate as a standalone geolocation solution, or it can be used to complement existing air monitoring solutions such as radar.
Radar is an extremely effective solution for pinpointing aircraft locations, but it is not free of limitations. Tracking hostile aircraft using a radar when they are too far away to get a precise location, or too far away for effective deployment of surface-to-air missiles, can enable opposing forces to geolocate the radar station and, either change their flight path in order to avoid being detected or, in a combat situation, destroy the radar with a radar seeking missile.
RFeye AirDefense can be used to passively detect hostile aircraft without them being aware they are being geolocated. This can provide essential covert intelligence on enemy activity and also augment a friendly missile defense system by locating emitted RF signals until the aircraft is in the range, at which point radar can be safely activated with a short-range pulse to pinpoint and engage the incoming threat.
Detect unauthorized drones
The availability and popularity of commercial drones are a growing nuisance and credible threat to military bases and airfields. This could be the relatively low-level threat of a drone enthusiast carrying out video surveillance of the local military test range or an insurgent group using drone-mounted explosives to carry out attacks on forces during active operations.
Control links for navigation and video links for reporting back surveillance streams both emit an RF signature which can potentially be detected and geolocated in three dimensions.
RFeye System
Using a state-of-the-art network of RFeye Receivers alongside their advanced software, 3D geolocations can be performed in conjunction with all of the other spectrum monitoring, management and geolocation requirements.
Results can be displayed in any number of user-definable ways. Display results using color codes to represent distance, signal strength, signal type etc. Identify specific transmission types and have geolocations fade over time to build the perfect intelligence picture for the specific application.
The ultra-low noise figures achieved by CRFS’ RFeye Node platform mean one sees further and with more clarity. In practice, this means RFeye AirDefense can geolocate aircraft many hundreds of kilometers away from the ground sensors. Their own test deployments have located aircraft across a 900 km airspace.
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