Abstract: A configurable antenna for a software defined radio including a first antenna unit having a first antenna element for receiving a first electromagnetic signal in a first frequency band wherein the first frequency band corresponds to a first mode of operation of a software defined radio, an interface unit having a first connector to couple the first electromagnetic signal from the first antenna unit and a second connector to couple the first electromagnetic signal to the software defined radio, an enclosure configured to receive the interface unit within an internal cavity, and a retention bracket configured to mechanically retain the interface unit within the enclosure, the retention bracket having at least one hole for allowing the first connector to conductively contact the antenna unit.

Abstract: The tracer projectile having a closure disk assembly is described. The tracer projectile includes a projectile base with a tracer cavity formed therein. A pyrotechnic charge is pressed into the tracer cavity and is ignitable by burning propellant such that a trajectory of the projectile is visible when fired. A closure disk assembly covers and seals the tracer cavity. A crown of the closure disk assembly is supported on a ring flange formed by an annular groove in the projectile base. A sidewall of the closure disk assembly surrounds the ring flange. A retaining element is disposed in the annular groove and engages a rim of the closure disk assembly for securing the closure disk assembly to the projectile base over the tracer cavity.

Abstract: The tracer projectile having a closure disk assembly is described. The tracer projectile includes a projectile base with a tracer cavity formed therein. A pyrotechnic charge is pressed into the tracer cavity and is ignitable by burning propellant such that a trajectory of the projectile is visible when fired. A closure disk assembly covers and seals the tracer cavity. A crown of the closure disk assembly is supported on a ring flange formed by an annular groove in the projectile base. A sidewall of the closure disk assembly surrounds the ring flange. A retaining element is disposed in the annular groove and engages a rim of the closure disk assembly for securing the closure disk assembly to the projectile base over the tracer cavity.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating solutions to decision analysis problems. The systems include a processor configured to: receive input data relating to a decision analysis problem, the input data including various parameters, wherein one or more of the parameters are in conflict, generate a plurality of the solutions based on the input data, wherein each of the plurality of solutions are from distinct homotopy classes, approximate a Pareto front using a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm, the Pareto front representing a collection of the plurality of the solutions that are not inferior to others of the plurality of the solutions in view of an entirety of the parameters in the input data, generate a course of action (COA) menu presenting solution architypes based on the Pareto front using a topological clustering algorithm, and display the COA menu on a visual display device.

Abstract: Small-, medium-, and large-caliber combustible cartridge cases and propellant combustible containers that are manufactured using reactive injection molding of azido polymers. An injection process for a single propellant combustible charge including the steps of: providing a quantity of azido bearing polymer; providing a quantity of curing agent; optionally providing a quantity of chemical blowing agent; optionally providing a quantity of fibers; optionally providing a quantity of additives and catalysts; and providing a mold defining a male cavity, a female cavity, and an injection port. The injection process further includes mixing together the azido bearing polymer, the curing agent, the optional chemical blowing agent, the optional fibers, the optional additives and catalysts, and injecting the resulting mixture into the mold.

Abstract: A direct drive drive actuator includes a base structure and a driven structure that is journally supported and translatable relative to the base structure. The driven structure is disposed in a fixed spatial relationship to the base structure. A plurality of first pole arrays is disposed on the driven structure. A plurality of second pole arrays, corresponding in number to the plurality of first pole arrays is disposed on the base structure. An electrical power source is provided. A controller is coupled to the power source and the first plurality of pole arrays and the second plurality of pole arrays, wherein the controller is configured to selectively electrically energized windings of the first plurality of pole arrays and the second plurality of pole arrays such that an electro-magnetic force is formed between poles of the first plurality of pole arrays and poles of the second plurality of pole arrays.

Abstract: A communications system including a transmit processor for determining transmit and azimuth elevation in response to a refractive layer altitude, a transmitter array including a plurality of transmitters each for transmitting one of a plurality of transmitted signals in response to the transmit elevation wherein each of the plurality of transmitted signals is encoded using a data signal and one of a plurality of unique synchronization sequences, and a receiver for receiving the plurality of transmitted signals, isolating each of the plurality of transmitted signals in response to one of the plurality of unique synchronization sequences corresponding to each of the plurality of transmitted signals to generate a plurality of isolated signals, to combine the plurality of isolated signals to generate a combined signal and to generate the data signal in response to the combined signal.

Abstract: Communications systems and methods for communicating data are provided. In one example, the communications system includes an outer ring having an inner surface and an inner ring having an outer surface. The inner surface and the outer surface are separated by a gap that extends around the inner ring to define a loop. A modulating light arrangement receives data and produces modulated light. A first light diffusing optical fiber and a second light diffusing optical fiber are disposed on a first side of the gap and extend in the loop to define an optical data ring. The first light diffusing optical fiber and the second light diffusing optical fiber cooperate to diffuse the modulated light along the optical data ring. A detector is disposed on the second side of the gap and detects the diffuse modulated light.

Abstract: An electromagnetic transmission carrying a bauded signal, such as a transmission from an orbiting satellite, is processed for Doppler shift analysis. The electromagnetic transmission is captured and a non-linear operation is performed to expose a cyclostationary feature of the captured transmission that defines a rate-line having a rate-line frequency that is related to the bauded signal and to the motion of the transmitter relative to the receiver. The rate-line frequency is tracked in time to generate data indicative of Doppler shift associated with the satellite. The data are then supplied to a tracking receiver.

Abstract: The receiver captures an electromagnetic transmission carrying a bauded signal, such as a transmission from an orbiting satellite, and processes it for Doppler shift analysis. The electromagnetic transmission is captured and a non-linear operation is performed to expose a cyclostationary feature of the captured transmission that will define a rate-line. This rate-line will exist at a frequency that is related to the bauded signal and Doppler shift relative to the motion of the transmitter to the receiver. The rate-line frequency is tracked in time to generate data indicative of a Doppler shift associated with the satellite and processed by an estimator fed by satellite propagator to supply positioning, navigation and timing services at the receiver output.

Abstract: The evolutionary feature selection algorithm is combined with model evaluation during training to learn feature subsets that maximize speech/non-speech distribution distances. The technique enables ensembling of low-cost models over similar features subspaces increases classification accuracy and has similar computational complexity in practice. Prior to training the models, feature analysis is conducted via an evolutionary feature selection algorithm which measures fitness for each feature subset in the population by its k-fold cross validation score. PCA and LDA based eigen-features are computed for each subset and fitted with a Gaussian Mixture Model from which combinations of feature subsets with Maximum Mean Discrepancy scores are obtained. During inference, the resulting features are extracted from the input signal and given as input to the trained neural networks.

Abstract: A reduced-energy cartridge for a chamber of a firearm includes a case and a sabot. The sabot is moveably attached to the case and supported for movement relative to the case from an unfired position to a fired position resulting from combustion within the combustion chamber. The cartridge further includes a sealing member that projects radially outward from the longitudinal axis and from the sabot. The sealing member defines a blowback boundary where the cartridge is configured to seal against an inner surface of the chamber of the firearm. A forward area of the cartridge and a rear area of the cartridge are separated by the blowback boundary. The sealing member is configured for releasably sealing against the inner surface of the chamber to regulate pressure at the forward area resulting from combustion within the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A method is provided for use in a cooperative broadcast multi-hop network that employs broadcast flood routing and multi-hop transmission using a direct-sequence spread-spectrum (DSSS) waveform. DSSS signals are received from other nodes on different channels. ASSW is performed to detect and remove interference signals received on the different channels. MDFT analysis banks each receive a beam in the spectral domain that can be channelized to generate a channelized beam that comprises multiple spectral channels. An adaptive interference mitigation space-frequency whitener module can then be applied to remove interference and generate interference-mitigated spatial-spectral domain channels. MDFT synthesis banks can each perform a MDFT synthesis operation on one of the spatial-spectral domain channels. A multi-user RAKE receiver can then combine the interference mitigated time-domain channelized signals to generate a subset (1 . . .

Abstract: A cartridge includes a cartridge case having a shell having a first end portion, a second end portion opposite the first end portion and a cylindrical body extending from the first end portion to the second end portion. A reinforcing cap includes a base, a sidewall extending from the base and surrounding the first end portion such that the first edge of the shell abuts an inner face of the base, and a projection extending from the inner face. A ring is pressed against the inner face and forms an air-tight seal between the projection, the inner face, the ring, and the first end portion of the shell. A plurality of indentations form protrusions in the sidewall and the first end portion for interlocking the reinforcing cap to the shell and retaining the ring against the inner face of the base.

Abstract: Cladding removed from a portion of the optical fiber defines a window exposing the fiber core. A grating having a substantially periodic structure defining a wavelength is moveably positioned in the window, where it can interact with the evanescent field present in the window when optical power is propagating through the fiber. An adjustable positioning fixture holds the grating proximate to the window and operates to change the relative spacing of the fiber core and grating, between: a first position in which the grating is held proximate to the fiber core and substantially interacts with the evanescent field, and a second position in which the grating is held apart from the fiber core and does not substantially interact with the evanescent field.

Abstract: Spotter ammunition projectiles adapted to be fired from a firearm, methods for making spotter ammunition projectiles, and spotter ammunition cartridges including spotter ammunition projectiles are provided. In one example, a spotter ammunition projectile includes a projectile body section extending in a distal direction to a body distal end portion. A projectile ogive is coupled to the body distal end portion and has an outer ogive surface that tapers in the distal direction towards a shoulder. The projectile ogive includes a post that is disposed adjacent to the shoulder and that extends therefrom in the distal direction. An ogive nose cap is disposed adjacent to the shoulder and covers the post. The post and the ogive nose cap are cooperatively configured to define a cavity therebetween. A pyrotechnic spotter composition is disposed in the cavity.

Abstract: A wireless slip ring, system and method for transmission of data across a rotatable junction can be provided to permit transmission of data from a fixed element to a rotating element across a rotary interface. The wireless slip ring can provide high bandwidth multi-channel data transmission, for example each channel can have a bandwidth greater than 1 gigabit per second. Each channel may include a plurality of input/output data streams that can be serialized by a digital electronic circuit for transmission across the slip ring and then deserialized into its respective data streams. The wireless slip ring can form an annular chamber to act as a wave guide for the wireless signal for providing a continuous conductive covering around the annular chamber to act as a faraday shield to contain radio frequency emissions and prevent external jamming.

Abstract: A signal generator outputs a reference signal corresponding to at least one wireless signal according to the predefined signal encoding to a channel emulator processor. The channel emulator processor is programmed to use at least one synthesized channel parameter and the reference signal to produce and store a perturbed signal as data for training machine learning and artificial intelligence systems. The synthesized channel parameter is synthesized using a channel synthesizer processor programmed to: ingest map elevation data, reference a transmitter and a receiver to the map elevation data, and perform ray tracing of a representative signal between the transmitter and the receiver, while applying at least one predetermined perturbation property to synthesize at least one channel parameter.

Abstract: A reduced-energy cartridge for a chamber of a firearm includes a case and a sabot. The sabot is moveably attached to the case and supported for movement relative to the case from an unfired position to a fired position resulting from combustion within the combustion chamber. The cartridge further includes a sealing member that projects radially outward from the longitudinal axis and from the sabot. The sealing member defines a blowback boundary where the cartridge is configured to seal against an inner surface of the chamber of the firearm. A forward area of the cartridge and a rear area of the cartridge are separated by the blowback boundary. The sealing member is configured for releasably sealing against the inner surface of the chamber to regulate pressure at the forward area resulting from combustion within the combustion chamber.