RDA, Inc. specializes in Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) systems engineering and in serving our Navy client’s needs.  RDA provides research and development (R&D) engineering services for the DoD, defense contractors, and commercial customers in the fields of sonar, acoustics, digital signal processing, software, and systems engineering.  From basic research to rapid prototype development and testing, RDA is dedicated to understanding our customer’s critical requirements, and providing viable, cost-effective solutions. RDA’s development experience with actual fleet-deployed systems and our use of Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) hardware modules result in focused, low cost solutions for our customers.

RDA’s core competencies are within the fields of digital signal processing (DSP) of sonar acoustic signals and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW).  Since 1986, RDA has continuously and successfully delivered outstanding technical leadership in engineering services and advanced prototype development to defense customers in the ASW domain.  RDA’s technical team possesses a unique concentration of critical ASW systems development skills including digital signal processing (DSP) design, real-time DSP software development, and systems engineering.   RDA has developed many innovations for the US Navy’s airborne ASW platforms including, Multi-static ASW signal processing for the Extended Echo Ranging (EER), Improved Extended Echo Ranging (IEER), and Advanced Extended Echo Ranging (AEER) systems, an Innovative Impulsive Source System and Signal Processing Design, Non-Traditional Active and Passive signal processing techniques, and an ASW Multi-Sensor Data Fusion display.

RDA’s core staff of twelve engineers are experts in the fields of sonar, acoustic processing and acoustic systems engineering.  Many of RDA’s engineers are credited with major developments and advances in systems currently deployed by the Navy including the UYS-1, P-3C, LAMPS MKII, DIFAR development, Undersea Target Surveillance (UTS), and other ASW systems.

Our knowledge and direct experience with ASW applications and fleet deployed systems is what sets us apart.  As a part of our customer’s team, we efficiently solve the tough problems, transform theories to practice, and create new applications that work - validated by being a 2000 Tibbetts Award recipient.  We leverage our experience to help the Navy and other companies solve their acoustic engineering problems - quickly, efficiently, and at the lowest possible cost.  RDA provides contract science and engineering services that includes, Sonar R&D, Acoustic R&D, Systems Engineering, DSP design and development, Acoustic systems testing, Real-Time DSP software development, Acoustic applications, COTS integration, Engineering analysis, embedded systems, and Prototype development.

The Low-Cost Advanced Processor (L-CAPä) is an outgrowth of RDA’s numerous research and development projects.  It is designed to be a portable, ASW multi-channel real-time processing, display, and recording system that brings new ASW technology immediately to where it’s needed.  It incorporates many of RDA’s advanced ASW detection, classification, and display algorithms, years ahead of current fleet deployed Air ASW systems.  The L-CAPä is intended for use as a portable, low cost adjunct processor for actual missions and as a recording, test, measurement, and engineering analysis tool for laboratory or fleet support environments.  Specifically designed to interface to current Air ASW systems and sensors, the L-CAPä provides a platform for rapid deployment, demonstration, evaluation, and testing of new digital processing techniques before commitment to full development and integration into fleet systems.

The L-CAPä features advanced sonobuoy processing and data fusion algorithms developed by RDA and provides automated multi-static active and passive processing.  With the exception of the IEER and EER processing, these advanced processing techniques are just not available on the current fleet deployed ASW systems.  The L-CAPä simplifies the data collection and presentation process, and is compatible with US Navy Air ASW systems.  Based on low-cost COTS modules, the L-CAPä provides powerful features packaged into a portable unit.  It provides up to 32 channels of analog and digital sonobuoy processing, storage, playback, and analysis with Real-time Performance capabilities. The Windows NT OS based system uses COTS hardware modules that conform to the current DSP standards being deployed within future fleet tactical systems, in particular, COTS Insertion Programs.

The L-CAP’s advanced signal processing includes concurrent multi-static active and passive processing modes, Non-traditional passive processing, Data fusion and contact alerts, Advanced impulsive multi-static processing, Advanced coherent processing, Active classification processing, Non-traditional active processing, and Enhanced audio capabilities.  Even though it is a portable unit, it still has a larger channel density and processing bandwidth than current deployed systems.  It also supports current and planned fleet-deployed Air ASW sonobuoys.

The L-CAPä provides powerful tactical performance that can be deployed anywhere due to its portability.  It hosts new advanced ASW signal processing algorithms developed by RDA.  It provides a platform that enables fast implementation and testing of new processes along with a low-cost / low-risk migration path for process evaluation prior to fleet insertion.  In addition, it provides a self-contained data collection and storage capability for permanent and stable storage of test or mission data.  No external data storage system is required.  The L-CAPä will drastically reduce post-mission data analysis and will provide an effective and powerful engineering tool for process evaluation in Navy labs and fleet support environments. Since the system is based on the current PowerPC modules, similar to current COTS upgrade programs, process porting to fleet systems will be low risk.

RDA’s goals are to obtain Navy sponsorship for the L-CAPä and to transition the innovations demonstrated  with the L-CAPä into the P-3 and SH-60R airborne platforms.  We want to explore new applications of these advanced techniques in other air, surface, and subsurface ASW systems.  In addition, RDA seeks to develop additional relationships with defense organizations and companies by providing science and engineering services within our core area of expertise.