Flight Termination Systems

Background

 Oceantronics capabilities include Range System Solutions, Telemetry, Communications and Flight Termination Systems support and upgrades.  Since 2000 Oceantronics has supplied Pacific Missile Range Facility with all of their FTS systems, upgrades and spares.  Initially Oceantronics purchased the equipment from Zeta a principle supplier of FTS Systems in the 80’s and 90’s.  Oceantronics integrated an FTS in the PMRF Mobile Range Safety System which was built by Oceantronics at our facility.  Over the years Oceantronics has been a full service radio system supplier and has routinely sold, installed, modified and repaired transmitters transmitting over HF, UHF and VHF transmitting up to 1KW.

Zeta, a primary supplier of Flight Termination Systems, was acquired by DRS Technologies and for several years they supported the Zeta FTS product line.  In early 2006 DRS Technologies approached Oceantronics regarding the ZETA FTS products and asked us if we would like the license to produce and support these systems.  Oceantronics agreed to do this and signed the agreement with DRS on 19 July 2006.  Since then we have built all spares and have modified the PMRF FTS to include a redundant path in the transmitter switchover unit.  We also have completed a design for an FTS with a Command Encoder/Exciter capable of tone modulation as well as the new digital EFTS modulation.  We have established a relationship with High Power UHF Amplifier suppliers that build large quantities of transmitters for the Broadcast Industry.  We believe that using products build in high quantity represents a much better approach than Oceantronics or any other supplier building a transmitter solely for FTS use.  This concept reduces acquisition cost, increases reliability, decreases support costs and assures long term technical support for the FTS Transmitters.

 As part of the FTS for the PMRF Mobile Range Safety System, MRSS, a conical spiral omni antenna was purchased since this was some what of a standard for FTS solutions. However, the antenna failed due to arcing caused by the high humidity marine environment.  Oceantronics researched the suppliers of UHF antennas and purchased both RHCP and LHCP Omni Directional Turnstile Dipoles capable of handling up to 10KW at less than ½ the cost of the conical spiral omni. For the MRSS Oceantronics also supplied a steerable FTS antenna installed in a radome.  The Antenna was supplied by Microwave Specialty, the supplier of the new Omni’s and the Pedestal and Controller were supplied by RPM-PSI.

 Tone Recorder Receivers are a part of the FTS monitoring equipment.  The receivers that were utilized by PMRF were found to randomly produce “Ghost Tones” that jeopardize the missions.  Oceantronics evaluated the receivers, came up with a fix and is implementing design changes to the receivers to eliminate the “Ghost Tones”.