DARPA released a broad-agency announcement (DARPA-BAA-12-27) for the Fixed Wireless at a Distance program. The program aims to overcome perceived limitations of today's military mobile ad-hoc networks (MANETs) and develop mobile communications infrastructure that interconnects small groups of military radios. The system should be able to support legacy and emerging military systems and integrate commercial 3G or 4G commercial cellular and commercial Wi-Fi base station technology.

Communications must be supported over distances of up to twelve miles for legacy systems and beyond 30 miles for emerging systems that may have MIMO capabilities and be capable of two to twenty simultaneous coherent signal streams. Technology options under consideration include increasing transmit power or receive sensitivity; increasing base station antenna height; increasing base station antenna gain; and space-time coding.

There are solutions already available that could potentially be adapted to meet these requirements without necessitating the development of new solutions and one example for consideration could be Lockheed Martin’s MONAX network and Raytheon’s MAINGATE solution.

It will be interesting to see what solutions are put forward by industry and whether budgetary constraints will lead to a more pragmatic approach to meeting DARPA requirements as opposed to the traditional philosophy of designing systems from scratch leading to the inevitable cycle of delays and cost overruns.

A couple of examples from the NTISR (non-traditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) front as the extension of an existing EW solution show how the defense industry can support future efforts without having to design whole new systems.

Northrop Grumman received two follow-on LRIP contract awards from the USAF to provide additional LITENING SE advanced targeting pods. LITENING SE pods include full 1Kx1K forward looking infrared, 1Kx1K charge-coupled device and short wave infrared sensors, color symbols, tracker improvement, enhanced zoom, and two-way multi-band data link. LITENING SE recently completed an extensive flight test program on the F-16 Block 40/50 and A-10C aircraft.

Meanwhile, the French defence procurement agency (DGA) has awarded Thales a contract to adapt ASTAC tactical reconnaissance pods for the Mirage 2000D. The ASTAC pod is designed to be carried under the fuselage of F4 Phantom, Mirage F1 and Mirage 2000 combat aircraft to provide an ELINT and tactical reconnaissance capability, including updating the overall situation and generating the electronic order of battle.

Roke Manor Research, a Chemring Group company, has expanded its RESOLVE Electronic Warfare (EW) range to include permanent vehicle fixtures and static mast-mounted deployments. The new systems extend RESOLVE’s modular manpack capabilities allowing it to be fitted to a variety of platforms, whilst maintaining the flexibility to be easily dismounted for use in complex terrain or discreet operations.

Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin has unveiled the F-16V, a new variant and upgrade package that comes with AESA radar as well as upgraded mission computer and architecture, and improvements to the cockpit.

On the unmanned front, while the Global Hawk is not a legacy platform per se when compared to the F-16, an expanding mission envelope towards maritime surveillance has led to the sensor capabilities being upgraded. Northrop Grumman recently commenced flight tests of the first developmental multifunction active sensor (MFAS) radar destined for the U.S. Navy's MQ-4C Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Unmanned Aircraft System (BAMS UAS).

Lockheed Martin’s new F-16V variant and upgrade package will also include datalinks allowing the aircraft to operate alongside the F-35 and F-22. The new capability on the F-16 means even if a country is unable to buy the F-35 or F-22, it can still have fighters that can operate alongside U.S. and other air forces’ fifth generation fighters.

Lockheed Martin is targeting both the domestic and export market with V upgrades with South Korea’s requirement to upgrade its F-16s and the U.S. Air Force’s interest in upgrading 300-350 F-16s. Other potential opportunities could include Singapore and Taiwan.

LONGBOW recently delivered the first production Unmanned Aerial Systems Tactical Common Data Link Assembly (UTA) to the U.S. Army for the Apache Block III helicopter. LONGBOW UTA is a two-way, high-bandwidth data link for the Apache that enables aircrews to control the sensor and flight path of Unmanned Aircraft Systems.  UTA-equipped Apache aircrews can operate a UAS at long range and receive real-time, high-definition streaming video on their multi-function displays.

With budgetary constraints in mind, it will be interesting to see whether a more pragmatic approach to meeting future DARPA requirements will be adopted especially where it appears that there are existing solutions can be adapted. The drive to provide extended capabilities is also being seen in other areas and while in some cases the extension of capabilities will be a “nice to have” feature there will also be a genuine requirement to adapt legacy platforms to meet future needs with communications, radar and electronic warfare systems and the underlying RF technologies pivotal in extending these capabilities.

Clients of the ADS service can read the full report, Reinventing the wheel (?), extending capabilities and talking with the next generation 

The thirtieth annual MILCOM Conference and Exposition, "Networks…Attaining the Value," was held at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland, November 7-10.

The commercial sector will continue to drive innovation and we will see continued use of commercially-based technologies such as smartphones and tablets as well as networks being adapted for use in the military sector. One example was Lockheed Martin’s MONAX provides users with a 4G private network they can operate anywhere. This secure broadband network system connects off-the-shelf Smartphones to a bespoke cellular base station infrastructure that can be carried into a disaster relief area or be used on a FOB (forward operating base). By using a secure RF Link, communications are protected through strong exportable encryption enabling the transfer of pertinent and sensitive information.

Elektrobit was emphasizing the EB Android handset platform which provides integrated cellular connectivity options including LTE with Band 14 support for the U.S. Public Safety market, a high-resolution touch-screen enabled display with superior sunlight readability, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and advanced battery and power management features.

Software is an important lynchpin in the implementation of commercial hardware for military applications and Wind River was demonstrating embedded virtualization and Android solutions at MILCOM 2011 while Twisted Pair was highlighting the company’s WAVE application, designed to enable communications across smartphones, tablets etc. that are using Wi-Fi or cellular networks with tactical radios being used in-theatre.

However, the need for dedicated waveforms, specific form factors and performance capabilities will, for example, mean that devices such as smartphone will not replace tactical radios, but rather be another tool in the warfighter’s arsenal of communications capabilities.

BAE Systems was emphasizing the company’s Link 16 SAFF (small adaptable form factor) terminal which is designed to support future Link 16 enhancements and is used in conjunction with the Data Link Processor (DLP) unit to provide a battlespace awareness picture.

Raytheon’s Maingate system combines a high capacity networked radio with Maingate’s Interoperability Gateway to connect current and future forces to the Global Information Grid. The multi-mode, multi-band radio employs UHF/VHF frequencies (around 700MHz) and can operate in TV whitespace as well and provides up to 2 channels at 10Mbps and is designed to provide a terrestrial ‘Everything over IP’ MANET (mobile adhoc network) backbone to support multiple channels of voice, video, and data. A wideband power amplifier in conjunction with MIMO is used to assign frequencies to the Maingate radio.

Satellite communications is being driven by ISR trends including the requirement to provide real-time transmission of high-definition video and COTM (communications-on-the-move). iGT highlighted continuing growth in terms of providing existing solutions to new customers as well as leveraging trends for IP-based communications on airborne platforms with a shift towards Ka-band, while TCS detailed the implementation of IRIS (Internet Routing In Space) as a means of reducing latency while increasing available bandwidth in satellite communications.

Open architectures and network centricity will drive the future system design with an emphasis on configurability in the digital domain. While the performance of CPUs continues to increase and GPUs are recognized for the extreme parallel processing capabilities, FPGAs from the likes of Xilinx and Altera, for example, will remain the best solution for high-speed I/O processing requirements of military communications systems.

In support of the IP-based net-centric battlefield environment, sub-system vendors are looking increasingly to partner and incorporate RF front-end capabilities into their product offerings. However, the  RF section will still need specialist expertise and technologies dictated in the case of communications by the move towards multi-mode, multi-band systems. NXP was attending Milcom 2011 with a full suite of solutions aimed at the defense market, that extend from the RF front end through to the digital interface and RFMD was also showcasing a variety of GaN-based products, such as high-power unmatched power transistors, broadband power ICs, and broadband power transistors as well as a broad portfolio of point-to-point radio products based around GaAs technology.

Moving forwards into 2012, the impact of budgetary pressures will lead to a change in contracts from “cost plus” to “fixed price” and prime contractors will also expect more “partnering” and investment on the part of the supply chain. While the uncertainties around specific programs will become more extreme, the broad technology trends will allow RF technology providers to invest across a range of programs and help to somewhat mitigate the risk.

This blog is reproduced from Asif Anwar's regular 'Expert Insights' column for the Microwave Journal Military Defence Column.

Defense news for the past month was dominated by the Paris Air Show though the deals were outclassed by the record civil aerospace deals. In likely the biggest single defense deal, the Paris Air Show saw Raytheon announce a $1.7 billion Direct Commercial Sales contract to upgrade Saudi Arabia's Patriot Air and Missile Defense System to the latest Configuration-3.

In radar-related news, Eurofighter and Euroradar secured funds for full scale development programme of the E-Scan radar, confirming the 2015 entry into service date. Selex Galileo (who leads the Euroradar consortium) was also awarded a contract by Worldwide Aeros Corporation, a US prime contractor for aerostat vehicles, to deliver its Seaspray 7500E AESA radar for a ground-surveillance tethered aerostat balloon operated by the Republic of Korea Army. Meanwhile, Northrop Grumman demonstrated its STARLite radar on a U.S. Army Persistent Threat Detection System (PTDS), another aerostat surveillance platform.

Another variant of Selex Galileo's Seaspray radar is to be installed on Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft operated by the Finnish Border Guard (Rajavartiolaitos) and the company has also been selected to provide Gabbiano-series radars for Israeli manufacturer Elbit Systems' Hermes 450 and Hermes 900 unmanned air vehicles.

Airborne radar systems also saw a new entrant to the market with the Airbus Military C295 development aircraft making its first flight fitted with an AEW&C rotodome; the latter will be static since the primary sensor will be the IAI/ELTA 4th Generation AESA radar with integrated IFF. The platform is designed to be a competitor to turboprops like the E-2D Hawkeye and Saab 340/2000 Erieye - as well as mid-tier jet options like Brazil's EMB-145 AEW&C, or IAI's own Gulfstream G550 CAEW.

Maritime surveillance continues to make use of unmanned systems providing opportunities for radar suppliers also. Raytheon delivered the first of three SeaVue expanded mission capability radars to the US Customs and Border Protection. Raytheon delivered the first production radar in the record time of just six months. This radar will be installed on US Customs and Border Protection's second Guardian unmanned aircraft system, a maritime variant of the Predator B.

AESA technology is also starting to figure in missile technology with MBDA unveiling the output of the Concept Visions process for 2011; the CVS 401 Perseus concept missile system, which represents the group's vision of a multi-role strike weapon system for 2030 and beyond an advanced dual-mode sensor package comprising an AESA radar combined with a laser radar or LADAR to allow for all-weather operations in all configurations of terminal engagement. Radar modes such as SAR and DBS are designed to enable long range target detection and discrimination in complex land and naval tactical environments including those involving advanced counter measures.

On the EW front, Danish company Terma was prolific with announcements coming from AugustaWestland, Eurocopter and the Polish Defense for helicopter based EW systems while the Norwegian Air Force chose Terma's pylon-based MWS (missile warning system) for their F-16s. However, the most high profile EW contract was probably related to Boeing announcing its supplier team for the US Air Force's KC-46 Tanker with Raytheon set to supply ALR-69A digital radar warning receivers and digital anti-jam receiver global positioning systems.

Rockwell Collins celebrated the first full-rate production delivery of its ARC-210 RT-1939(C) Generation 5 radio to PMA 209, the air combat electronics program office of the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command. The fifth-generation ARC-210 is reportedly the first airborne software-defined radio to hit the market and is a multi-band, multimode receiver-transmitter operating in the V/UHF frequency range, providing extended coverage from 30 to 941 MHz for military and public service radio bands.

Meanwhile Harris had several contracts to supply variants of its Falcon III multiband, multi-mission, software-defined radios as well as issuing software upgrades to expand network coverage. The company also conducted technology demonstrators in conjunction with Cubic that allow UAS video and targeting data to be delivered to fighters operating at the tactical edge. Cobham also received a DARPA contract to develop a highly-capable, cost-effective military radio for use by ground personnel, leveraging investments previously made by DARPA under the Wireless Network after Next (WNaN) program.

MTT-S provided a platform for GaN technologies with announcements from Cree, Fujitsu, Integra, M/A-COM, Microsemi, NXP, RFMD and TriQuint. Product introductions ranged from L-band through to Ku-band. While the early defense implementation for GaN technology has focused on EW applications, products announcements at the show focused on communications and radar applications. Custom MMIC Design Services Inc. (CMDS) has been awarded its second Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase II contract from the United States Army to develop millimeter-wave, high linearity, high power amplifiers on GaN for Satcom systems. Toshiba meanwhile launched a new 25W GaN HEMT targeting Satcom applications including VSAT at Ku-band.

Devices showcased included both transistors and MMICs with companies such as Cree and Fujitsu outlining the development of chipsets that incorporate both the receive and transmit functionality of a module in GaN technology. Moving away from RF front-ends, TriQuint highlighted some the milestones it has been achieving including continued development of GaN digital circuitry as part of the NEXT program, while Northrop Grumman demonstrated GaN implementation of high power digital controlled artificial dielectric (DiCAD) reconfigurable transmission lines by integrating GaN HEMT switches and metal insulator-metal capacitors (MIMCAPs) into coplanar strip transmission lines as a way of moving towards reconfigurable RF/microwave circuits. The plethora of announcements point to the growing maturity of GaN and will ensure continued success for the companies involved in the development of this RF semiconductor technology.

Dr David Allstot from the University of Washington kick-started the 2010 IEEE Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits Symposium with a review of the challenges and ongoing research into CMOS power amplifiers for use in the cellular radio front-end. Highlighting the energy consumption and CO₂ emissions from cellular handset usage, Dr Allstot emphasized the need for more efficient PAs as continued motivation for development of CMOS PA technologies.  Research into CMOS PAs has been ongoing for around 20 years, with current designs achieveing around 1W power outputs and up to 60% PAE. The performance of typical power amplifier PAs including Class A, B and E were highlighted, and then put into context with the demands of current networks which place greater importance on PAs operating backed off from peak power with schemes such as 64QAM resulting in probability distributions that translate into actual efficiencies of only 5%.  Dr Allstot provided examples of digital PAs comprising multiple PA cells and power combining techniques that have been put forward to address these issues, and highlighted the potential for Class G power PAs that feature a hump-shaped curve with the first peak aligning with probability distribution curves of a 64QAM spectral signal and offering the potential for efficiencies as high as 24%.  While these results are promising, Strategy Analytics still sees a gap in performance capabilities between GaAs and CMOS PAs which is compounded by cellular handset requirements continuing to evolve. This translates into a moving target that places greater emphasis on linearity, efficiencies and peak-to-average ratios (PAR) and in our opinion will continue to favour the capabilities offered by compound semiconductor technologies.  Nevertheless, the pervasive nature of RF technology will open up doors for CMOS and SiGe PAs, while also continuing to provide growth the compound semiconductor technologies, and this was highlighted by the second plenary talk, given by Gregory Waters of Skyworks Solutions Inc.  Mr Waters provided an overview of how the growth in the cellular handset market has transformed the RF industry into a mainstream technology with future trends pointing to greater pervasive use of RF in multiple applications. Smartphones are leading the initial trends towards more complexity in the radio chain which translates into greater content and provides continued growth for the industry.  Video is the primary driver for the RF market moving forwards with social media driving demands for always-on connectivity. This in turn will translate into more RF content going into terminals to meet these needs. Skyworks estimated that average RF content has increased by around 2.5 to 4x the content required when delivering voice-only capabilities.  The different approaches in the cellular front-end to handle these growing needs were highlighted, from multiple PAs through broadband PAs able to tackle high-band and low-band RF chains, to solutions that will cover all bands through a converged solution. This will be coupled with techniques such as envelope tracking and digital predistortion to provide more linear, more efficient RF solutions.  The other key message from Skyworks was that RF technology will become even more pervasive in its application moving forwards, with embedded RF translating to multiple applications, examples including smart metering for utilities, vending machines and passive RF technology for tracking applications.  To serve market needs moving forwards, RF companies will need to continue developing a broad base of technologies that incorporate not only the RF, but also interconnects and packaging   Strategy Analytics sees this pervasiveness as a catalyst that will open doors for Si technologies while the growing complexity needed to serve the always-on connectivity will present continued opportunities for compound semiconductor technologies.