Angeline Leishman
Raytheon Technologies‘ intelligence and space business has demonstrated a new software-defined radio using a direct radio frequency field-programmable gate array in support of a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency initiative.
Raytheon said Thursday it combined its E-Alpha module with Intel‘s System-on-a-Chip Direct RF FPGA technology in an effort to enable the digitization and synthesis of RF signals in a joint and multi-domain battlespace.
According to the company, E-Alpha features up to eight high-fidelity reprogrammable receive and transmit channels, analog and digital components as well as reduced size and power consumption for advanced electromagnetic spectrum processing.
“With this demo, we’ve figured out how to clearly and distinctly hear a single whisper from across the field – a game-changer in that it guarantees secure communications for cluttered and contested battlespaces,” said Aaron Maestas, chief engineer for advanced concepts and technologies at Raytheon Intelligence and Space.
The demonstration in Goleta, California, is part of DARPA’s Electronics Resurgence Initiative: Defense Application program, an effort to align commercial advanced electronics development with the needs fo the defense sector.
