GaN Based AESA Radar Detects Drones, Planes & Missiles

Raytheon has recently completed a series of company-funded milestones to upgrade the combat-proven Patriot Air and Missile Defense System. The projected upgrade delivers 360-degree capability and keeps Patriot ahead of increasingly more sophisticated threats, such as aircraft, drones, and cruise and ballistic missiles.

The Patriot radar main array was enhanced with gallium nitride- (GaN) based, Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology. The same Raytheon engineers who completed those milestones are currently constructing a GaN-based AESA, full-size, main panel radar array.  Click here to read more

New Chip Enables Electronic Warfare & Communication Radio Systems to Adapt in Nanoseconds

To address the need for radio systems that can adapt to changing environments on the fly and that can be easily reconfigured once they’re in the field, the engineers at BAE Systems have developed a Microwave Array Technology for Reconfigurable Integrated Circuits (MATRICs) chip to address the future requirements of communications, electronic warfare, and signal intelligence systems.

The MATRICs (Microwave Array Technology for Reconfigurable Integrated Circuits) chip enables engineers to develop customized radio systems without the need for application-specific chips that are expensive and time consuming to develop.  Click here to read more

Researchers Make Transformative Leap in Sending and Receiving Wireless Messages

In a vision shared by innovators, entrepreneurs, and planners in both defense and civilian contexts, the skies of the future will be busy with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Unseen but central to the realization of this vision is that wireless communication within and between these future fleets of UAVs should be reliable and resistant to both unintentional and ill-willed interference. According to Josh Conway, a program manager at DARPA, as wireless communication becomes part and parcel of multiple platforms and devices in the coming years, we will need assured communications, especially for command and control, but for other things too, like data transfer. If these UAVs can’t communicate, they will not take off or operate in an expected manner.  Click here to read more

3D Tactical Radar for Short Range Weapon Systems Detects Targets On-the-Move

Thales has announced the launch of  their compact 3D tactical Ground Master 60 radar, intended for use with short and extremely short-range weapon systems.

The Ground Master 60 is the only multi-mission radar capable of detecting all types of targets while on-the-move. Due to its compact design, it is perfectly adapted for operational deployment on a vehicle. It provides projected forces with better situational awareness of the air picture, thereby giving them increased protection during their missions.  Click here to read more

BAE Systems Develops Handheld Tactical Sensor to Detect RF Signals

BAE Systems has developed a new lightweight, handheld tactical sensor that soldiers can easily carry and use to better understand radio frequency (RF) signals for enhanced situational awareness.

By using cognitive processing algorithms, this handheld electronic warfare (EW) technology can quickly detect and identify multiple interfering signals, such as jammers or enemy communication signals, across a wide spectrum and in changing and challenging environments. The new capability can be used across multiple platforms and can integrate, for example, into a variety of EW, SIGINT, and signal receiver and communication systems, both large and small.  Click here to read more

Raytheon Designs GaN-Based AESA LTAMDS Radar for U.S. Army

Raytheon has given the U.S. Army a look into the future of missile defense technology, with their vision for the next generation of air and missile defense radar. The information was supplied to the Army as part of their process to define the requirements for a future Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS).

Raytheon's solution for the LTAMDS is based on the Gallium Nitride (GaN) powered Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology. Over the years Raytheon has spent over $200 million on researching this technology. At the AUSA Tradeshow in March 2016, Raytheon showed that they can quickly and affordably design, build, test and field a GaN-based AESA radar capable of defeating all threats.  Click here to read more

Researchers Develop a New Way to Achieve Antenna Beam Steering

Antennas used in Radars are often required to rotate to provide a 360 degree view of the surroundings. Traditionally this is achived by physically rotating the antennas to provide a complete view. Over time physically rotating antennas were related by phased array antennas. Phased array antennas are flat panels made up of miniature transmitters that each emit fractions of an overall signal - every fraction varied so that it all adds up to a single linear beam in a particular direction. The antennas can modulate the direction of that overall beam by altering the electronic properties of each individual signal source.  Click here to read more

The Top 5 Vendors in the GaN RF Devices Market

Technavio has published a report on global GaN radio frequency (RF) devices which lists the prominent vendors that are expected to impact the market during the forecast period up to 2020. The global GaN RF devices market in 2015 was valued at USD 295.6 million and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.94% to reach USD 703.4 million by 2020.

According to the report GaN-on-SiC is currently used in more than 95% of commercial devices using GaN technology. It has matured faster than GaN-on-Si and is preferred for most GaN RF implementations requiring higher performance with cost not being a factor.  Click here to read more

Arralis Introduces New W-Band Devices at EuMW

Arralis, a company that specializes in developing products for high definition radar and ultra-fast data communications in the Aerospace and Satellite markets has added a number of new W-Band MMIC devices to its product range. Arralis designs and manufactures high frequency semiconductor chips, modules and antennas up to and beyond 110 GHz.

Power Amplifier: The TU-W1330305 is a 4-stage MMIC power amplifier that operates from 92 GHz to 96 GHz. The TU-W1330305 provides up to 20 dB of flat, stable gain, and a power output of more than 18 dBm from a 4V supply voltage with a low current draw of 210 mA.  Click here to read more

1400 CW LDMOS RF Transistor Withstands VSWR of 65:1

Ampleon has announced the availability of the BLCU188XRS, a 1400 Watt, CW capable, high power extremely rugged transistor constructed in a thermally optimized air cavity ACP3 copper flanged plastic package. It is able to withstand extreme load mismatches with a VSWR > 65:1. This Gen6 HV 50 V LDMOS device has a 30% better thermal resistance (Rth) compared to a traditional air cavity ceramic packaged transistor, and combined with its high efficiency, requires less stringent cooling requirements.

It has unmatched input and output making it suitable for a wide variety of applications including FM and VHF TV broadcast, industrial, scientific and medical RF power generators and is suitable for any RF power application in the 10 MHz to 600 MHz range. Click here to read more

US Army Developing Undetectable Secure Radar Technology

Radar detectors signalling speeding motorists of police presence are about to get a run for their money as the Army is developing an innovative radar technology that could someday be common practice for users wanting to mask their radar emissions.

Over the past several years, the threat of being compromised has become an increasing issue for Soldiers in the field. The need to preserve radar system performance while operating in both a contested (adversarial attack) and congested (high traffic) radio frequency environment has presented a significant challenge to radar system designers. Click here to read more