Integrated Digital Electronic Warfare (ESM) - Communications Receiver Technology

Microwave Monolithic Integrated Circuits (MMIC) provide means of integrating a large number of microwave circuits on a chip, and reducing the size of microwave front-end for broad-band EMS receivers. For submarine ESM systems, MMIC techniques may be applied to integrate critical front-end functions with the antenna assembly to be accommodated within the limited space available on the periscope. To take advantage of the full potential of size reduction offered by MMIC, it is imperative to develop MMIC techniques for high-scale integration. To that end, Hittite Microwave Corporation has developed novel MMIC for filters, mixers, phase-locked oscillators, etc. This proposal describes Hittite's approach to miniaturize ESM receivers using highly integrated MMIC chips. Advanced MMIC techniques and high-scale integration experience, unique to Hittite, are presented as bases for the next level of integration of ESM receivers. As an example, a design approach for a miniaturized scanning superheterodyne receiver is presented. In Phase I of the proposed program, a specific receiver configuration will be selected for miniatruization, and MMIC requirements for such receiver design will be defined. The program plan also includes; preliminary design of critical parts, package design, analysis of cost impact, and a plan for implementation of the concept in Phase 2.