Wideband Sub-Array Digital Receiver Exciter (DREX) Development and Packaging

This proposal will address the development of a wideband digital receiver and exciter (DREX) technology for next-generation scalable missile-defense radar. A DREX is currently being specified at the sub-array level to feed an analog tile or panel subarray in order to generate flexible waveforms and beams with improved performance. The technical challenge is to meet the required receiver sensitivity, dynamic range, spurious response, bandwidth, waveform parameters, etc. at an acceptable cost in this new distributed architecture. Applied Radar, Inc. is currently developing a VME-based DREX architecture that will support multiple (~10-50) channel panel-based BMD radar demonstrations. In Phase I, we will investigate and quantify the performance and cost of the current DREX architecture, and determine what modifications are needed to integrate the hardware into a large scalable array that is suitable for the battlefield. We will also investigate emerging technologies including receiver-on-a-chip (ROC) and waveform generation methods for possible integration into the DREX architecture. In Phase II, these changes will be implemented into the DREX hardware, and the DREX will be integrated with existing analog tile and panel arrays. We will work with BMD prime contractors to determine insertion opportunities for this DREX technology in various radar applications.