Direct RF system-on-module introduced by Mercury Systems
NewsJanuary 22, 2024
ANDOVER, Massachusetts. Mercury Systems unveiled a new Direct RF (radio frequency) system-on-module (SOM) that uses Intel Agilex Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) to process signals across a broad range of the electromagnetic spectrum, the company announced in a statement.
The technology shifts from traditional methods to directly digitizing RF signals at their original frequency, with the aim of eliminating the need for the analog signal down conversion stages found in older systems in order to achieve better size, weight, power, cost (SWaP-C), and latency attributes, the company says. The technology targets a range of applications, including radar, communications, and electronic warfare, among others.
The DRF2580 SOM is comparable in size to a playing card and allows for digitization of RF spectrum portions directly at the edge with the intent of boosting security and decision-making speed in aerospace and defense operations, the statement reads. It is a four-channel SOM built on Intel's Agilex 9 SoC FPGA AGRW014 and it has a conversion rate of 64 Gigasamples per second, supporting up to four 100 GigE interfaces with carrier boards, the company claims.
“Intel Agilex 9 FPGAs with Direct RF offer Mercury Systems customers the critical SWaP capabilities and accelerated deployment required for next-generation applications in the aerospace and defense markets,” says John Sotir, senior director of Intel's programmable solutions group within the military, aerospace, and government business unit.
