ADVANCED PROCESSING ELECTRONIC ATTACK (EA) Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM)

SA Photonics has developed a concept design for a wideband RF Memory which provides better than 60 dB spur-free dynamic range over an entire 20 GHz instantaneous bandwidth, far surpassing the capabilities of digital RF memories. The heart of the system is a high accuracy true-time delay unit which provides better than 10 psec time delay accuracy and better than 2 dB amplitude accuracy over all switch states. With a 4nsec time delay granularity, maximum time delay of 520 usec, and 300 nsec switch speed, the system can accommodate a wide range of Electronic Counter Measure (ECM) techniques. The signal path is completely analog with no frequency conversion, hence is free of any digital artifacts and has minimal spurious components. Since the system is based on wideband true time delay, the false target will be naturally consistent over multiple radars operating over multiple frequency bands, which is next to impossible task for a traditional DRFM system. In this Phase II program, the baseline system design will be extended to support enhanced jamming waveform capabilities, including Doppler modulation and multiple false target generation.