Advanced Techniques for Digital Radio Frequency Memories (DRFM)

The current DRFM architecture is an evolutionary improvement of configurations first produced almost 30 years ago. Improvements in DRFM performance have predominantly been in the area of increased instantaneous bandwidth, higher sample rate, and improved spurious performance. The nature of threat radar systems has increased in complexity and capabilities over time driving the need to provide a more sophisticated and robust deceptive jamming capability to adequately exercise/address/defeat these capabilities. The innovative DRFM/Receiver architecture investigated and demonstrated under SBIR N06-036 “Advanced Techniques for Digital Radio Frequency Memories” Phase I and II has taken steps toward the next generation of DRFM/receiver system for the ULQ-21 family of expendable electronic attack products. This architecture allows flexibility and modularity that will offer better “tailor made” configurations producing options for other potential product lines. This Phase II.5 SBIR will complete the system architecture design for a new, state-of-the art DRFM/receiver system for the ULQ-21 family of expendable electronic attack (EA) products. The system will provide flexibility in RF bands, threat identification capability, technique generation library, and advanced isolation blanking technique and capability to handle time coincident/overlapped returns. The customer base for such a product is mostly DOD related. In addition to the ULQ-21 family of expendable electronic attack products, other UAV or manned aircraft can utilize this product for self-protection or electronic attack. The relative small package size and modularity allows this system to be adapted into various platforms without difficulty.