High-Efficiency Solid-State S&X-Band Radar Power Amplifiers

Inefficiencies in radar transmitters lead to large prime power and cooling requirements for radars. The resulting prime power and cooling needs have a significant impact on radar weight, deckhouse volume, and cost and in turn can drive platform design. These problems are exacerbated for Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) applications requiring long pulse lengths. Power amplifier (PA) inefficiencies are the driving factor for transmitter inefficiencies and improvements in power amplifier efficiency will provide significant radar and platform benefits. Auriga is proposing an innovative S-band PA that will significantly improve the efficiency and bandwidth of phased array radar transmitters. Auriga’s Class B, gallium nitride (GaN) PA will achieve a power added efficiency (PAE) 10-20% greater than the Class AB, gallium arsenide (GaAs) MMIC PAs used in existing transmit modules. This high efficiency will be achieved over a 30% bandwidth. Current Class AB, GaAs PAs have 40-45% PAE at this power level and bandwidth. A prototype GaN MMIC based power amplifier will be developed and demonstrated during Phase II that will be compatible with S-band phased array radar requirements and packaging.