Digital Active RF Countermeasure

To address the Air Force need for commercial innovations to improve its Fighter/Bomber aircraft portfolio, Physical Optics Corporation (POC), a lead integrator of avionics products, proposes a new Digital Active RF Expendable Countermeasure (DART) to replace traditional passive radar countermeasures (chaff). It is based on a new design that utilizes POC-developed, mature digital RF memory (DRFM) technology. DART comprises a low-SWaP, 2–18-GHz RF transceiver with commercial off-the-shelf RF components and a field-programmable gate array to form the DRFM; a novel wideband conformal antenna; a lightweight power supply; and an aerodynamic enclosure. This innovative integration will enable a low-SWaP countermeasure that fits within the size constraints of conventional passive countermeasures. Key technical risks for DART have been reduced based on our experience in designing, developing, and testing DRFM prototypes. Phase I will focus on the conceptual design of DART and validate the product-market fit between DART and U.S. Air Force stakeholders. Phase I deliverables will include a prototype to reduce technical risks. Therefore, Phase II is a straightforward process of engineering and optimization. This will facilitate the DART Phase II prototype development. We anticipate that, at the end of Phase II, DART will reach technology readiness level (TRL)-6/-7.