TEL AVIV — Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will debut at the upcoming Aero India exhibition in Bangalore an export-approved system to defend against GPS jamming.
Called ADA after the special adaptive antennas developed by the firm's MALAM division, the system is operational in Israel and is slated to be installed in yet another Israeli Air Force manned platform in the coming months under a contract estimated at "tens of millions of dollars," IAI executives said.
Measuring about 20 centimeters by 20 centimeters, the laptop computer-sized system is based on the firm's multichannel Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna (CPRA) technology designed to render avionics systems immune to direct electronic attack from GPS jammers or other methods of interference. The system consists of two major elements: a GPS antenna array built from multiple antennas and an advanced digital processing unit.
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"This unit features the most advanced signals processing using the CRPA method, which is the leading anti-jamming method. It's a stand-alone product that can be integrated into any airborne or maritime platforms," said Alex Levite, ADA project manager.
He noted that the firm can miniaturize the system based on customer requirements. "We have different packaging solutions. Generally speaking, it's a relatively small unit, but we can go smaller if needed."
Amit Haimovich, director of marketing and business development for IAI's MALAM engineering unit, noted that IAI has been heavily involved in the anti-GPS jamming business for more than a decade, and has authorization by Israel's Ministry of Defense to export the ADA system to approved customer nations. "We're launching this now, but we've been in this world for many years."
Haimovich estimates hundreds of millions of dollars in sales for ADA and its related product portfolio in three to five years. "We’re coming to the market, which is still emerging, in a calculated way with a very mature system," he said.
According to the IAI executive, the system is designed to thwart jamming of all Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), including the American GPS, the Russian GLONASS, the European Galileo and the Chinese BeiDou. Moreover, he maintains that as users move to next-generation encode transmissions, IAI’s ADA system will require "only minor software changes" to render it effective against future jamming threats.
"When our customers start moving to encode receivers, we’ll be there to support them," Haimovich said.
Jacob Galifat, general manger of the MALAM Division, said capabilities provided by his firm’s ADA system are imperative at a time when avionics systems are increasingly vulnerable to proliferating jamming threats. "Facing today's threats to GNSS, these systems are a must, for any platform using GPS, or any other Global Satellite Navigation Systems. Our operationally proven systems will ensure the availability of GPS- and GNSS-based systems, even in the most contested, [electronic warfare]-saturated battle-space.
"Considering the operational challenges, we believe this system has considerable export potential for many air forces and armies who experience GNSS jamming in combat zones."
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Opall-Rome is Israel bureau chief for Defense News. She has been covering U.S.-Israel strategic cooperation, Mideast security and missile defense since May 1988. She lives north of Tel Aviv. Visit her website at www.opall-rome.com.
