AIRPORT-SHIELD

Protection against RF interference

 Brief Overview and Applications

 AIRPORT-SHIELD is designed to:

 Detect and triangulate sources of RF interferences

(Safety)

 Identify signal and communications spoofing

conditions, eg GPS/GNSS (Security)

 Verify ATC signals integrity including Navigation

and Precise Landing Systems (Reliability)
 Optional Applications

 AIRPORT-SHIELD can decode ADS-B data and display

the aircraft positions on its map.

 AIRPORT-SHIELD can display the positions of the airplanes

by triangulating their ATC transmissions.
This allows an ATC operator to easily identify the aircraft
they are talking to on their RADAR screen so as to avoid
confusion.
 Operation Modes

 Interference Identification: When an interference condition is

reported, AIRPORT-SHIELD records, identifies and depending
on configuration, triangulates the source of the interference

 Continuous Surveillance: Automatic spectrum monitoring

and recording based on Operator-defined ATC Frequency Plan

 An ATC Frequency Plan is a list of parameters based on:

 Frequency or Channel (can include Navigation and
Precise Landing systems)
 Spectral Mask
 Modulation
 Power
 Geographical Area and Angular sector Authorisation
 Status: Yes/No
 Other RF parameters defined by the User
 All RF signals in the air are tested against the ATC Frequency
Plan. Signals not in accordance with the ATC Frequency Plan
are immediately tracked, recorded, and notified to the Operator
 Architecture Overview

 AIRPORT-SHIELD consists of multiple RF Monitoring Units,

a communication infrastructure (wired or wireless) and one
or more Control Centres
 RF Monitoring Unit

 An RF Monitoring Unit consists of:

 One or multiple RF receivers
 One Baseband Processor
 One GPS
 One antenna
 A wired or wireless network interface
 There are two types of RF Monitoring Units:
 Monitoring and Recording (Type A)
 Monitoring, Recording and DF (Type B)
 All applications that require triangulation of emitters
require the “Monitoring, Recording and DF” unit (Type B)
 RF Monitoring Unit continued

 The number and the position of the RF Monitoring Units

depends on multiple parameters such as:
 the application
 the installation site and constraints
 the RF environment
 the power and the characteristics of the interference
 LOG.IN recommends to deploy at least one RF Monitoring
Unit (Type A) in each airport in order to have a 24/7
monitoring and recording capability.

 The recording capability can be customised to support the

storage of data from a few hours to days.
 Capability vs. Type vs. Number of RF
Monitoring Units

1 2 3 or more
Interference Detection (A, B)   

Interference Recording (A,B)   

Interference Direction of Arrival   

Estimation (B)
Fixed Position Interference  ** 
Emitter Triangulation * (B)
Mobile Interference Emitter ** 
Triangulation (B)

* Requires the Monitoring Unit to be moved to at least two different locations

in order to triangulate the emitter. It also requires the interference to be
present at any time the Monitoring Unit is positioned and switched on.

** The higher is the number of Monitoring Units, the more accurate is the
triangulation.
 AIRPORT-SHIELD as a Service

 AIRPORT-SHIELD can be deployed with 4 levels of service

 24/7 Interference Monitoring and Recording.

 A “Type A” unit permanently deployed at each airport
 Recording provides retrospective analysis capability
 Off Site Analysis
 Remote analysis of the detected interference performed by
signal analysis specialists
 Can provide indications regarding the type of interference and
the possible source

 “On Demand” Direction Finding

 Deployment of “Type B” Monitoring Unit in order to triangulate
the interference emitter
 Could be provided all over Australia by GDS
 Electromagnetic Survey
 Survey each airport and carry out a differences analysis using
the Spectrum Monitoring Suite
 Ensure operators are using Equipment in a consistent manner
across sites and ensure ATC systems are working as expected
Technical Information
 Technical Specifications

 Wide band operations (not only ATC COMMS):

 Monitoring: 9 kHz - 6 GHz
 Direction Finding 20 MHz - 6 GHz
 Raw spectrum RF recording: it is essential to investigate
complex interferences occurred in the past

 Interferometry DF technique: high DF accuracy, less than

0.5° instrumental RMS with very short duration signals

 DF antenna calibrated also in elevation: DF of ATC signals

even from far, high flying airplanes

 DF-while-Scan technology: simultaneous multi-channel

monitoring

 Network centric installation and remote-control using

combined ground-fixed and mobile Monitoring Units
Control Centre Graphical User Interface

Monitoring
Unit 3

Monitoring
Unit 2 Monitoring
Unit 1
Operator Station Tools
 Mobile RF Monitoring Unit
 The RF Mobile Monitoring Unit is a trailer equipped with:
 Type A or Type B Monitoring Unit
 Telescopic mast, no rigging up to 11 meters
 Power generator (DIESEL or Petrol)
 Air Conditioning
 RF-Wireless Link up to 180 Km, No-LOS, 150 Mbps
GLOBAL DEFENCE SOLUTIONS
Electronic Systems Innovation

11 Bellevue Street
South Nowra
NSW 2541, Australia
Tel. +61 (0) 2 44237959
Fax. +61 (0) 2 4422 7733
info@globaldefence.com

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