New generation of mixed-signal electronics for EW, ISR the goal of DARPA, BAE Systems project
NewsJanuary 30, 2020
NASHUA, N.H. BAE Systems has won a contract worth $8 million from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop the next generation of mixed-signal electronics that could enable new Department of Defense (DoD) applications and enable solutions that enhance situational awareness and survivability for the warfighter.
DARPA previously created the Technologies for Mixed mode Ultra Scaled Integrated Circuits (T-MUSIC) program, aimed at enabling disruptive radio frequency (RF) mixed-mode technologies by developing high-performance RF analog electronics integrated with advanced digital electronics on the same wafer.
BAE Systems officials state that the next-generation capabilities that could be made possible with this program include a combination of wide spectral coverage, high resolution, large dynamic range, and high information processing bandwidth; these developments would then be integrated into electronic warfare, communications, precision munitions, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platforms.
"T-MUSIC will incorporate analog and digital signals on a single chip for high-performance data converters and digital processing and intelligence," said Chris Rappa, product line director for Radio Frequency, Electronic Warfare, and Advanced Electronics at BAE Systems' FAST Labs research and development team. "The advanced electronics we are developing under the T-MUSIC program could create the foundation for greatly enhanced Department of Defense capabilities in advanced RF sensors and high-capacity communications."
Work under the contract is expected to be performed in Merrimack, New Hampshire; Lexington, Massachusetts; and Manassas, Virginia.
