Tactical SIGINT Technology Adaptive Recognizer (TSTAR)
The objective of the Tactical SIGINT Technology Adaptive Recognizer (TSTAR) is to
develop a recognizer "trainable" by an operator which will result in signal recognition
using modularized software. It is intended to be integrated into Combat Direction
Finding (CDF) along with FRIAR, the Army TST Project which will provide operator tools
for signal analysis.
The TSTAR is an Adaptive Recognizer and a Navy TST-developed system that offers
software based, near real-time signal recognition. Additionally, if signal activity is
intercepted and a match cannot be made to existing signal types, the TSTAR functions
in a "training mode" where external signal characteristics are "learned". Also the TSTAR
provides tools that allow the operator to identify internal bit patterns. TSTAR uses this
information to add a new signal type to its Signal Of Interest (SOI) Data Base, and
future intercepts of this new signal type will be identified as such. Furthermore, the
TSTAR software architecture utilizes the concept of Object Oriented Programming
(OOP), and the recognizer flow control code is kept separate from its signal processing
functions. This allows the recognizer to flow through different possible decision
functions in the process of identifying a signal. This decision path can move as the
signal is deduced, and even back up if an incorrect path was taken. A new signal
processing, decision making function may be written by an engineer and used in an
otherwise unmodified TSTAR providing the new module uses the proper "encapsulation"
required by TSTAR. This is useful if, for example, a new type of modulation needs to be
detected after the system has been deployed.
The TSTAR system currently consists of a Human-Machine Interface (HMI) portion, a
Receiver Tasking portion, and a Core Recognizer portion with an Analog Interface. The
HMI presently runs on a SUN Microsystems SPARC2, but a Unified Build (UB) Optional
Application Tape (OAT) must execute on a TAC-3. TSTAR is coded in ANSI standard
Unix C and its HMI is created with X Windows. UB requires its OATS to be coded in
these standards, but requires the Motif widget set instead of the Open Windows tools
used by TSTAR. Finally, for the TSTAR system to be able to function as the recognizer
in the ADAS and SSEE Phase II systems, it must contain multiple "channels" since these
systems contain multiple receivers.
Sources and Methods
http://www.fas.org/irp/program/process/tstar.htm
Created by John Pike
Maintained by Steven Aftergood
Updated Saturday, December 05, 1998 6:33:09 PM
