Raytheon Technology Today 2004_Issue
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Transcript of Raytheon Technology Today 2004_Issue
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technologytodayRF TECHNOLOGYInnovation for Mission Success
Volume 3 Issue 1
HIGHLIGHTING RAYTHEONS TECHNOLOGY
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As we enter this New Year, I am pleased to bring you the latest issue of technology
today featuring RF technology at Raytheon. RF technology is in our roots beginning
with the production of the magnetron and subsequent ship-based radar systems for
World War II.
Much has changed in the RF systems we develop, design and supply to our war fighters.
The once science-fictional designs of Star Trek have now become realities using our
technologies and, today, RF is one of our key technology areas with expertise from
MMIC design and fabrication through large ground-based radars. The depth and
breadth of our expertise is astounding, from active RF sensors for radars, to satellite
sensors for weather monitoring systems, to electronic warfare and signal intelligence for
electronic countermeasures, to RF communications for radios, datalinks and terminals,
and the challenges of GPS and navigation systems. Our future is bright with research
and development in RF components and subsystems, as well as our ongoing, essential
research and development for systems improvements.
We also made significant accomplishments in 2003 on our journey for process excel-
lence as measured through the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI)
business model. Most of our major engineering sites achieved Level 3 certification for
software and systems engineering, and our North Texas sites received CMMI Level 5
certification for software engineering. These successes are in recognition of a high level
of process maturity among various disciplines. I believe it creates a framework for
predictable execution, and predictable performance is one of our most important
objectives in Customer Focused Marketing. Great people supported by predictable
processes create a foundation for customer satisfaction and growth.
I encourage each of you to take the time to read through this issue of technology today
you will be impressed. Take the initiative to connect with the RF leaders featured in
this magazine they will share their knowledge and expertise. Share the magazine
with your customers and choice partners so they can learn more about our people, our
processes and the technology expertise that resides within this great company.
Sincerely,
Greg
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A Message from Greg SheltonVice President of Engineering, Technology, Manufacturing & Quality
Ask Greg on line
at: http://www.ray.com/rayeng/
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RF Technology Innovation for Mission Success 4
Radar Active RF Sensors 5
Satellite Sensors 10
Electronic Warfare and Signal Intelligence 11
Engineering Perspective Randy Conilogue 12
RF Communications 13
GPS and Navigation Systems 15
The Future of RF Technologies 16
Leadership Perspective Peter Pao 17
Advanced Tactical Targeting Technology 18
Pioneering Phased Array Systems and Technologies 19
HRL RF Technology 20
Design for Six Sigma 24
CMMI Accomplishments 25
IPDS Best Practices 26
First Annual Technology Day 28
New Global Headquarters Showcases Technology 29
Patent Recognition 30
Future Events 32
TECHNOLOGY TODAY
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EDITORS NOTE
Raytheon is a technology company; it is something we are very proud of; itdefines who we are and it is a key discriminator. This issue showcases thedepth and breadth of our RF technology capabilities and our expertise,which resides in our people. Technology plays a major role in Performanceand Solutions in our journey to become a more customer-focused company,but the Relationships we develop and sustain are what will drive growth.
Build and value the relationships with your customers; get to know themon a personal level; ask about their family, hobbies and even favoriterestaurants. Relationships have to do with a shared mission or passion. In the words of Jeff Maurer, president and COO of U.S. Trust Corporation,
There are few people who can get through life based on their brilliance and their top perform-ance that can ignore relationships. And if they do, you dont wanna know em anyway.
I once read that Nelson Rockefeller kept a Rolodex of all his clients with notes about their childrenand personal interests. Each time a connection was made, he would open the conversation withquestions about the clients family or personal interests. It pays to be personal. In many businesssituations where price and performance are equal, it is the strongest relationship that wins.
Several of the features in this issue focus on building and sustaining relationships with our cus-tomers, partners and suppliers from our Raytheon technology days, to the opening of our globalheadquarters, to the annual technology symposia. I encourage you to read about these successes,share the magazine with your customers, partners and suppliers. We welcome feedback andwould love to hear about your success stories as well. Enjoy!
Jean Scire, [email protected]
INSIDE THIS ISSUETECHNOLOGY TODAY
technology today is published quarterly by the Office of Engineering,
Technology, Manufacturing & Quality
Vice PresidentGreg Shelton
Engineering, Technology,Manufacturing & Quality StaffPeter BolandGeorge LynchDan NashPeter PaoJean ScirePietro VentrescaGerry Zimmerman
EditorJean Scire
Editorial AssistantLee Ann Sousa
Graphic DesignDebra Graham
PhotographyJon BlackFran BrophyRob Carlson
Publication CoordinatorCarol Danner
ContributorsSteve AlloJohn BedingerEric BoeRandy ConilogueSean ConleyWilliam H. DavisJohn EhlersJohn FoellMark HauheDebra HerreraDenny KingHoward Krizek
David E. LewisAl NaudaDaniel PindaJoseph PreissMichael SarcioneMardi ScaliseMatthew SmithWilliam StanchinaJoel SurfusRuss Titsworth Bob R. WadeWillard Whitaker III
an Product
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RaytheonInnovation for Mission Success
RF Technology A Legacy of Innovation
M ost of us find sciencefiction stories devel-oped for television andmovies an exciting interlude from
our normal activities one that
takes us into a make-believe world
of action-adventure, full of thought
provoking insights into what the
future may hold for us.
Of the science-fiction/outer-space epics
shown on TV and in movies, one of the
most ground-breaking was the Star Trek TV
series. This anthology which told the
story of space exploration in the distant
future prefigured many astonishing tech-
nological advancements: specifically, the
phaser weapons and photon torpedoes that
protected the ship; the large sensor array
that encased the ship and provided long-
and short-range sensor data in the form of
screen displays of nearby planets, gas
clouds, and space ships; the ships
ability to remotely monitor atmospheric,
environmental and radiation readings and
to send remote probes into hostile environ-
ments in order to monitor events; the force
field surrounding the ship that protected it
from hostile attacks and harmful environ-
ments; the force fields created within the
ship to isolate and contain alien intruders;
hand-held Tricorders that took local read-
ings on environmental and health condi-
tions are among many such precursors.
Those so-called science-fiction technolo-
gies, which then seemed impossible, are
today closer than we realize. But what does
Raytheon have to do with these technolo-
gies? The common denominator is that they
all involve RF sensors and signal processing,
very similar to current technologies under
development within Raytheon today.
For example, phaser weapons and photon
torpedoes are forms of directed-energy
weapons. The Star Trek Enterprises Large
Sensor Array is very similar to our passive
and active array antennas (e.g., F18 AESA,
Ground Based Radars, Space Based Radars,
and EW systems), all of which provide tar-
get tracking and classification along with
ground SAR mapping. Remote sensing of
atmospheric, environmental and radiation
is similarly done by todays satellite Multi-
spectral Sensors (some RF and some opti-
cal). The Enterprises Remote Probe is similar
to todays Unmanned Air, Ground and
Water Vehicles. The spaceships outer force
field and local containment fields are similar
to todays electromagnetic containment
fields used in fission reactors or high fre-
quency microwave weapons, used to cause
enemies discomfort when in the field.
Finally, the Tricorder is similar to miniature
sensors for detecting poisonous gases,
viruses and biological agents under develop-
ment today for homeland defense. All
of these today technologies are the
forerunners of technologies that some may
have thought didnt fall within the laws of
Physics. Many other Star Trek technologies
not mentioned here also have sound, near-
identical facsimiles in todays technologies,
(though we may have to wait to see if
human bodies can actually be transported
through space at the molecular level).
So, just what is this thing called RF
Technology? RF short for Radio
Frequency is defined as any frequency in
the electromagnetic spectrum associated
with radio wave propagation through free-
space. An RF Sensor is an electronic system
that transmits and receives information via
these electromagnetic waves. Thus the term
RF is associated not only with the RF waves
themselves, but also includes other aspects
of RF electromagnetic wave generation and
processing, as well as information coding,
propagation, reflection, detection and, most
importantly, information decoding.
Not all RF waves, however, are propagated
in free space. Other forms of media exist for
electromagnetic propagation, including
copper wires, waveguides, transmission
lines and fiber optics (which are useful in
containing electromagnetic fields in small,
confined regions). Some examples of these
types of RF transmission media include eth-
ernet and coaxial television cables.
The entire electromagnetic spectrum covers
a range from Direct Current (DC), through
microwaves to visible light and on up
through X-Rays and Gamma Rays.
The RF band, occupying the lower frequen-cies of the electromagnetic spectrum (from
DC to about 300 GHz), is commonly used
for radio communications, radar detection/
target tracking (although visible light is now
being used for these same purposes) and
remote sensing. (Radar is short for RadioDetection and Ranging.)
The older classification for RF band frequen-
cies covered a range of about 10 KHz-1000
MHz, which included radio and television
transmissions, while todays definition has
expanded to include frequencies from audio
VLF 3-30 KHz 100-10 km Very Low Frequency
LF 30-300 KHz 10-1 km Low Frequency
MF 300 KHz-3 MHz 1 km-100 m MediumFrequency
HF 3-30 MHz 100-10 m High Frequency
VHF 30-300 MHz 10-1 m Very HighFrequency
UHF 300-3000 MHz 1 m-10 cm Ultra HighFrequency
SHF 3-30 GHz 10-1 cm Super HighFrequency
EHF 30-300 GHz 1 cm-1 mm Extremely HighFrequencyMicrowaves
Sub- 300 GHz-3 THz 1mm-0.1 mm Millimeter andmm sub millimeterWave Wavelength
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5(less than 20 KHz) to visible light (30,000GHz or 30 Terahertz).
The wide-ranging variety of functions that
together represent the science of RF signal-
ing include the following:
RF frequency synthesis and waveformgeneration
RF signal amplification and processing
Electromagnetic wave radiation andreception to free-space via antennas
Signal and frequency detection
Information coding and decoding
Atmospheric propagation and reflection to/from objects
The range of technologies used to imple-
ment and build these functions is broader
still, extending from tubes to exotic semi-
conductors, antennas to lenses, and wave-
guides to photonic interconnects. Common
uses of RF Waves include communications,
direction-finding, geo-location, radar, pas-
sive signal detection and classification,
remote sensing/radio astronomy, RF heating
and welding.
Raytheons range of RF Systems can be
grouped into four basic functional cate-
gories as follows (although other special-
ized uses may also be developed):
Radars designated for airborne, missile, ground, space, battlefield,shipboard, remote sensing and air-traffic-control uses
Radio communications systems, datalinks and satellite terminals
Electronic Warfare (EW) and SignalIntelligence and
GPS and Navigation systems
In the autumn of 1922, the US NavalResearch Laboratory (NRL) first detected a
moving ship using radio waves. Eight years
later, NRL similarly discovered that reflected
radio waves directed at aircraft could be
detected. In 1934, a patent was granted to
Taylor, Young, and Hyland at NRL for a
System for Detecting Objects By Radio.
The term given to this new science was
Radar (standing for Radio Detection And
Ranging). In other countries around the
world, similar discoveries and inventions of
radars were occuring. Early radar concepts
and experiments performed at NRL in the
U.S. focused on the detection of ships and,
later, aircraft. Early radars were primarily
used for direction finding via radio-location
(an early name for radar). Later, pulsed CW
techniques were added to perform target
ranging, employing a round polar display
with a rotating arc sweep marker, as popu-
larized in movies and TV.
Since those early days, Raytheon and its
subsidiary companies had a long history in
the ongoing development of radar for mili-
tary and commercial applications. Founded
in 1922, Raytheon came into prominence
early in the Second World War when Percy
Spencer, a Raytheon engineer, developed a
method for volume production of high-
quality Magnetron tubes which are critical
to radar operation (and microwave ovens).
Raytheon,and its acquired components
from E-Systems, Hughes Aircraft, Texas
Instruments and General Dynamics all have
a long history in radar sensors which are
currently integrated into nearly every con-
ceivable platform on land, sea, air and
space including strike fighters, bombers,
AWACs, Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) and
commercial aircraft. Add to that a long list
of Naval ships and systems, commercial
marine ships/personal watercraft, ballistic
missile defense ground systems, battlefield
defense and targeting systems, missile seek-
ers, automobiles and satellites, etc.
Altimeters and direction finders are also
forms of radar sensors.
Though most radars are active (in that they
send out a signal to illuminate a target and
detect the reflected signal similar to shining
a light on an object in the dark), some
radar sensors are passive (in that they do
not illuminate the targets, but measure the
targets natural energy and/orsignal emis-
sions). One of these systems referred to
as radiometers are often used on space-
craft to gather information about water, on
and above the Earth, through passive
receivers at various microwave and millime-
ter wave frequencies. These systems
observe atmospheric, land, oceanic and
cryospheric (or frozen mass) parameters,
including precipitation, sea surface temper-
atures, ice concentrations, snow water
equivalent, surface wetness, wind speed,
atmospheric cloud water and water vapor.
Shipboard RadarThe days of Navy surface combatants only
patrolling the high seas and engaging
threats at close range are past. Todays sur-
face combatants perform a variety of mis-
sions, operating in both deep water and
the littorals (continental shelf), and must
counteract a variety of ever-increasing
threats. Current shipboard radar systems
operating over a wide range of RF frequen-
cies provide the capabilities to successfully
carry out these missions. Because current
radar systems typically perform a single or
limited number of mission functions, the
surface warship is host to a number of
independent shipboard radar systems. This
host of radar systems aboard a single ship
can lead to a significant degree of RF inter-
ference between radars, communications
and electronic warfare systems. To reduce
these effects, system and frequency man-
agement, filtering and high-linearity
receivers are an integral part of todays
advanced weapon systems.
The types of radar systems aboard a ship
are strictly a function of the vessels class or
category. As an example, a precision
Continued on page 6
RADARActive RF Sensors
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RADARS
Continued from page 5
approach landing radar on an aircraft
carrier as compared to a periscope
detection radar on a destroyer. Typically a
surface warship has at least a surveillance/
search radar and an anti-air-defense/fire-
control radar. These two radar systems pro-
vide the ship with the ability to detect,
track and engage a variety of threats.
Through means of volume search and long-
range detection, shipboard surveillance/
search radars provide a total air picture to
the surface warship. These systems (first
fielded during the Second World War) typi-
cally operate at lower frequencies in order
to achieve enhanced search capability at
a lower system cost. Although the basic
function is the same (i.e., detection), these
systems have undergone a significant evo-
lution from their first introduction through
to the next-generation systems that are
currently under development. The require-
ment to operate in littoral regions, coupled
with significant increases in aircraft speed
and traffic, has effected this steady evolu-
tion, which could only have been realized
because of significant advances that took
place within RF technologies. The antennae
used in these radar systems are no longer
mechanically steered, but rather use a
phased array with electronic steering,
which directs the radar beam itself. A
phased-array antenna provides faster beam
switching so the system can track more tar-
gets while increasing information update
rates. Individual tube-based transmitters
and receivers are replaced by thousands of
solid-state transmit/receive (T/R) modules
embedded in the phased-array antenna,
resulting in greatly improved sensitivity. This
allows the radar system to detect targets at
greater distances. The fidelity of the trans-
mitted and received RF signal is also
improved, allowing the radar system to
detect smaller cross-section targets.
Anti Air Warfare (AAW)/fire-control radars,
operating at higher RF frequencies for
improved angle accuracy, detect and track
low-altitude airborne targets. If the target is
classified as a threat, the radar can be used
to direct naval fire against that target. The
first fire-control radars were fielded during
World War II and were used to direct naval
gunfire against surface and airborne tar-
gets. With the advent of missile technology
in the 1970s, fire-control radars moved
from directing gunfire to guiding missiles.
To support this new requirement, a phased-
array antenna replaced the mechanically
steered antenna in the fire-control radar.
Adjunct illuminators, used for missile guid-
ance, were added to the system. With the
ability to track multiple targets and provide
faster update rates, and the ability to guide
missiles against airborne targets, the fire-
control radar steadily evolved into its
current AAW role.
As threats continued to evolve (targets with
smaller radar cross section, increased range
and greater maneuverability/speed),
advanced RF technologies have steadily
made their way into AAW radar systems in
order to effectively counteract these new
threats. Not unlike the next-generation
surveillance radar, the next-generation
AAW shipboard radar system is under
development today with state-of-the-art
RF technology.
The radar systems for tomorrows surface
warrior are under development today at
Raytheon. These defense systems rely on
the latest RF technologies to improve radar
performance against an ever-increasing
number of threats occurring in operational
environments. In addition to achieving
improved radar system performance, these
advanced RF technologies are enabling
next-generation radars to perform a host of
multi-function roles. This, in turn, allows
the development of a more capable surface
defender, with improved survivability at a
greatly reduced cost. The multifunctional
capability of these next-generation systems
also reduces RF interference throughout the
ship by sharply reducing the number of
operating systems.
Airborne RadarSince the third decade of flight, airborne
radars have been providing information to
pilots about the world surrounding the air-
craft. This information has enabled pilots to
perform their job better, be that navigation,
weather avoidance, or tasks with direct mil-
itary application and usefulness. From the
original 1934 patent by Hyland et al.,
Raytheon and its various companies have
been at the forefront of radar technology
development for airborne applications.
In the simplest form, the purpose of a sen-
sor is to provide useful data to the user (for
example, a pilot). Other examples of useable
data are situational awareness, kill-chain
support and intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance (ISR). Raytheons airborne
radars provide that kind of information
today, better than ever before.
Situational Awareness consists of informa-
tion about the environment, and the
objects in it, that surround a user. For a
pilot user, many kinds of information about
the pilots surroundings are useful as an aid
to navigation. For example, terrain follow-
ing, terrain avoidance, radar altimetry, pre-
cision velocity updating, landing assistance
and weather avoidance all assist the pilot in
flying the aircraft. Additionally, man-made
objects are of primary interest! Raytheons
airborne radars provide greater detection
and tracking ranges of a greater number of
targets than ever before achieved.
Kill-chain support is another type of useful
data provided by advanced, multi-mode
Doppler radar systems found on the current
generation of fighter and attack aircraft.
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7Radars aboard the
F-15, F-14, F/A-18,
AV8B and B2 all provide kill-chain
support in addition to situational aware-
ness. The classical kill chain is denoted as
find, fix, target, track, engage and assess
(referred to as F2T2EA by the user commu-
nity). The modern multi-mode Raytheon
radar finds and fixes targets on the ground
and in the air by using Doppler search
modes for moving targets, and imaging
modes for fixed targets. Once a target is
located, it is targeted and tracked using
additional waveforms. Targets in track can
be engaged, with radar providing targeting
information and weapons support. Finally,
engagement effectiveness can be assessed
through imaging of a fixed site or termina-
tion of the track of a moving target.
A third type of useful information is intelli-
gence, surveillance and reconnaissance. The
user of this data is as likely to be a ground
commander as it would be a pilot.
Raytheons HISAR, ASARS-2A and Global
Hawk radars provide imaging and moving-
target information of a region of interest
on the ground. Similarly, Raytheons APS-
137 radar on the Navy P-3 Orion, as well as
the international maritime radar, SeaVue,
provide location and tracking information
of maritime targets. All of these modern,
multi-mode ISR radars provide location,
tracking and identification of targets to the
battle field commander or the pilot.
Airborne radars are undergoing several
major, capability-enhancing revolutions. A
simple abstraction of a radar system might
be to view it as an RF transmitter and
receiver, a data processing unit and a
directional antenna. Todays analog trans-
mitters and receivers are being replaced by
programmable, digital receiver-exciters, sim-
ilar to those found on the APG-79. These
receiver-exciters offer the ability to support
a wide variety of radar functions, with the
ability to add growth
functions while under
development. In the same way,
the airborne radar data processor is
undergoing a veritable explosion in capabil-
ity, with the commercial field expanding its
capabilities by 100 percent approximately
every 18 months (a phenomenon referred
to as Moores law). This increase in pro-
cessing throughput and storage is affording
far more sophisticated radar functionality.
Finally, the radar antenna itself is also
undergoing a major change. Earlier,
mechanically steered arrays are being
replaced by the Active Electronically
Scanned Array (AESA). AESA antennas, as
first deployed on the APG-63(v)2, provided
inertia-less beam pointing, permitting the
radar systems engineer to design functions
that can move the beam more rapidly.
Advantages such as increased sensitivity
and tracking capability result in improved
situational awareness.
Predicting the future of airborne radars is
not difficult. As we extrapolate from the
past, the future will require even better
quality user information. Greater tracking
precision and finer imaging resolutions are
currently under development. Larger quan-
tities of hard-to-find targets will populate
future battlefields, and Raytheons research
is addressing those needs. Fused sensors
(both Radio Frequency and Electro-Optical,)
will allow for enhanced effectiveness as
recently demonstrated by Global Hawk dur-
ing Operation Enduring Freedom and
Operation Iraqi Freedom. Additionally, the
lines between RF functions are continually
blurring, with radars providing Electronic
Support Measures and communication
functions. The future holds capabilities not
envisioned by Roddenberrys Star Trek.
Missi le RadarMissile radar seekers were a natural deriva-
tive of radar technology developed for
fighter aircraft. Once radar was incorporat-
ed into fighters, it became quite apparent
that the aircraft could locate a target, but it
was virtually impossible to destroy the tar-
get at any appreciable standoff range,
using bullets or unguided missiles. In order
to engage the target, some sort of closed-
loop control of the missile would be need-
ed. The first radar-guided, air-to-air missile
developed (in the 1940s and 50s) was the
Falcon missile. The Falcon was guided to
the target by homing in on RF energy
bounced off the target by the fire control
radar. This type of missile-seeker radar is
referred to as a semi-active radar. The semi-
active concept continues to be a valuable
operating mode for a number of present-
day missiles. But as technology continued
to develop, more and more capability was
integrated into missiles. Todays missile
radars are closely related to fire-control
radars. Modern missile radars adapt the
waveform parameters, receiver configura-
tion and signal processing for the mode of
operation in use and the missiles environ-
ment (though it should be noted that no
one missile does everything). Some missile
radars perform air-to-air targeting and oth-
ers perform air-to-ground.
Radar-guided missiles use radar sensors for
detecting and tracking both air and surface
targets. These radar sensors provide specific
target information that is used to guide the
missile. The missiles also employ RF com-
munication links, GPS receivers and RF
proximity fuzes for detonating the warhead
when the missile passes close to the target.
Current missile RF-guidance technology
operates primarily at microwave frequencies
(3-30 GHz). For the guidance function, a
forward-looking sensor, employing either
a reflector antenna or a waveguide array
antenna, is mounted on an electro-
mechanical, gimbal-controlled platform. An
aerodynamic nose cone or radome,that is
transparent to RF energy protects the
antenna. The RF signals originate either
from a transmitter on the missile (in an
active system), from an illuminating radar
on the launch ship, ground system or air-
craft (in a semi-active system) or, alterna-
tively, from the target itself (in a passive
system). Signals are reflected from the
target (or originate from the target), and
are received via the missile antenna and
Continued on page 8
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RADARS
Continued from page 7
receiver. Passive missile receivers, also
known as Anti-Radiation Homing (ARH)
devices, must adapt to the targets fre-
quency and waveform characteristics.
Technology exists to include Synthetic
Aperture Radar (SAR) guidance capability in
a missile. SAR generates a high-resolution
image of the target area, just as if a photo-
graph of the target area were taken directly
above the target area. SAR processing pro-
vides several performance enhancements
that afford a direct benefit to current
weapon capabilities. First and foremost, a
SAR missile allows the combatant to image,
identify and engage a target in all battlefield
environments including smoke, fog, rain,
snow and blowing sand.
Existing missiles thus typically have three or
more additional, independent RF subsystems,
each operating at a different microwave fre-
quency. These include communication links,
GPS receivers and proximity fuzes.
Communication links are implemented with
antennas on the side or rear of a missile. In
most cases, the links have receivers and
transmitters that are separate from the
guidance radar. These links also have their
own signal processing. The links are used
by the fire-control system to control the
missile during midcourse flight in a
command guidance mode, in order to pro-
vide target designation updates to the missile
and to monitor missile status during flight.
Global Positioning System (GPS) is becom-
ing the preferred midcourse guidance
mode for missiles. The missile receives RF
signals from the GPS satellites, establishing
the missiles position and allowing it to
fly to a designated GPS location. The incor-
poration of a GPS receiver in the missile
coupled with the communication link is
used to correct for most alignment errors
between the fire-control radar and missile
coordinate systems.
Missiles also include proximity fuzes. The
proximity fuze is a full radar including a
transmitter, antennas, receivers and the
signal processing.
Future missiles developed by Raytheon will
employ multifunction, electronically steered
array antennas (or ESAs), eliminating the
need for mechanically gimbaled platforms.
The arrays may also conform to the missile
shape rather than being flat. The trend for
guidance and fuzing is to move to higher
frequencies, in the millimeter-wave region.
The shorter wavelengths allow sharper
beams to be formed, resulting in better
angle accuracy. However, it is also desirable
to retain a broad-beam capability for the
initial target acquisition. Multi-band capa-
bility is also desirable in order to accommo-
date multiple functions, including GPS,
communication links, target acquisition,
target track and fuzing, and, to maintain
compatibility with existing ships and air-
craft. Active ESAs, with a solid-state trans-
mitter associated with each radiating ele-
ment or small sub-array, will replace tube-
based transmitters. With greater processing
capability, the ESA will have the capability
to be rapidly reconfigured, in order to
switch frequently among targets and
among functions.
Ground and Batt lef ie ldRadarThe term ground-based radar covers a
broad spectrum of radar systems. These
radar systems are as varied in their opera-
tional frequency, capabilities and physical
characteristics as are the missions theyre
designed to perform. Early warning, missile
defense and fire-finder radars are just a few
examples of the many radar systems that
fall under this general heading.
Early warning systems, which typically have
an RF operating frequency in the UHF
range, are designed to detect and track
airborne and space-borne targets at great
distances. Given their low operational RF
frequency and required system sensitivities,
the antennas for these radars are often
close to 100 feet in diameter. With some of
the early warning radar, as is the case with
BMEWS, the antenna is built into the side
of a multi-story building that houses the
radar. Missile defense radars operate at
much higher RF frequencies than early
warning radars. Here the higher operational
frequency affords greater track accuracy
Matt Smith is the RF SystemsTechnical Area Director for RaytheonCorporate. This is a one-year rotationalposition that identifies common technologypursuits and coordinates joint technologydevelopment efforts among Raytheon busi-nesses. He acts as a technical liaison to theRaytheon Technology Networks, facilitatingactivities such as technology roadmaps,competitive assessments, collaborativeworkshops and knowledge databases. Matt
also works with univer-sities and other externalresearch agencies identi-fying and developingstrategies to exploitpotential disruptivetechnologies. He hailsfrom RaytheonsNetwork CentricSystems Business in St.Petersberg where hes
responsible for technical management of,and active participation in, research anddesign of microwave/millimeter-wave hard-ware for spaceborne remote sensing andcommunications programs. His focusrecently has been on advanced space tech-nology such as Si micromachined K-BandMMIC Radiometers with integrated anten-na arrays. Matt holds four patents (withthree patents pending) and has authored/co-authored 20 refereed IEEE/SPIE technicalpapers. He is a Senior Member of IEEE andholds a dual degree (BSEE, BSNS & MSEE).Matt has over twenty years experience inspace and military microwave design onDMSP, ALR-67, ALQ-131, NESP, CEC,GEOSAT, FEWS, TIROS-N, MILSTAR, LONG-BOW, SEAWINDS and various classifiedspace programs.
Matt worked as a professional musicianwhile in engineering school with entertain-ers such as the Mills Brothers, BobbyDarren, Rodney Dangerfield and Joe Pesci.Although his ultimate goal is pursuing aPh.D. in Electrical Engineering, he still per-forms and teaches jazz and woodwinds inthe Tampa Bay area. It is more evidenteach day to me that engineering and musicare not orthogonal; instead they are closelyaligned through math, physics and, most ofall, creativity.
Matts advice to new engineers is, Take some time out to publish technicalpapers. Start with a survey paper that youthink would be useful to you and your colleagues. Stay active in Raytheon techni-cal networks, symposiums, lunchtime seminars and professional societies like IEEE and AIAA.
P R O F I L E
-
9and target discrimination, which are
required for intercepts. The size of the
antenna for missile defense radars varies
from a couple of square meters for tactical
defense (such as Patriot) to tens of square
meters for national defense. Firefinders are
battlefield radars that detect and track bal-
listic shells or artillery. Based on the meas-
ured track of each projectile, the system
calculates the launch site. To achieve the
required track accuracy and system mobili-
ty, these systems operate at higher RF fre-
quencies. As an example, the AN/TPQ-37
Firefinder operates in the S-band.
Despite the varied characteristics of the sys-
tems, RF technologies are at the heart of all
ground-based radar systems. As these tech-
nologies have evolved, so too have the cor-
responding systems capabilities. The most
significant advance in radar performance
was realized with the introduction of active,
electronically scanned arrays. Here the
directed RF energy is electronically not
mechanically steered, and single trans-
mitters and receivers are replaced by thou-
sands, if not tens of thousands, of solid-
state, transmit/receive (T/R) modules
embedded into the antenna. This has
afforded the radar system many key bene-
fits. The beam switching rate of an elec-
tronically scanned array is much faster than
that of a mechanically steered array. This
development has allowed the radar system
to simultaneously track multiple targets,
and/or targets with higher dynamics, and
to perform multi-function radar operation.
The improved radar sensitivity realized with
solid state T/R modules permits tracking of
smaller targets at greater ranges.
Currently, Raytheon is in active production
of several ground-based radar systems and
is developing several, next-generation,
ground-based radar systems. These systems
incorporate state-of-the-art RF technologies
in order to achieve the radar performance
required for a multi-function battlefield
radar, cruise missile defense radar,
and theater and national ballistic
missile defense radars.
Commercia l RadarsAs the cost of RF technologies drops, radar
products are finding applications in the
commercial sector. Two examples of this
introduction into the commercial market
are leisure-boat radars and automobile
collision-avoidance radars. Raytheon is
currently engaged in the production of a
product line of leisure-boat radar systems.
These systems, which operate at X-band
frequencies, provide 360 coverage for the
detection and tracking of both stationary
and moving objects. The information is
presented as a two-dimensional image on
a liquid crystal (LCD) display as an aid in
vessel navigation.
The development of an automobile colli-
sion-avoidance radar is leveraging missile
seeker technology. This forward-looking
radar is mounted in the automobiles
bumper in order to detect objects in close
proximity to the automobile. Through elec-
tronic switching, the radar covers an angu-
lar region in front of and just to the side of
the vehicle. This information, coupled with
the speed of the detected object relative to
the automobile, allows the radar to discrim-
inate between objects. That is to say, the
radar can identify objects that represent a
danger (e.g., a stopped car
in front of the automobile)
vs. others that are non-
threatening, (e.g., a car pass-
ing alongside). Using this infor-
mation, first-generation systems
will function as a warning system
to drivers. In the future, these same
systems could be used to realize auto-
matic speed control and, in all
probability, enable automatic
driving on smart
highways. n
P R O F I L E
Mike Sarcione is a PrincipalEngineering Fellow in IDS and RaytheonsRF Technology Champion. He began hisinterest in engineering while working inhigh school in the audio-visual department. Iused to videotape oursporting events and dothe play-by-play. Oncehe realized that hecouldnt compete withGil Santos (voice of theNew England Patriots) orJohn Facenda (voice ofNFL films), his interest focused on how thevideo camera, tape machines and electron-ics systems worked. He continued thisinterest working as a videotape engineerfor ABC Television in New York. Mike leftABC to further his education at theRochester Institute of Technology.
Early in his career at Raytheon, Mikedesigned a digital processing simulator forthe Patriot Data Link Terminal. In 1980, hetook an educational leave of absence toattend Worcester Polytechnic Institute toget his MSEE. When he returned toRaytheon, he joined the Microwave andAntenna Department. Throughout hisRaytheon career, Mike has been involved invirtually every major surface radar antennadesign in the Northeast. He is frequentlyasked to participate in our most challengingdesign activities. Mike is one of the drivingforces behind the extension of Raytheonsphased array technologies and capabilitiesinto the next generation of Army and Navyradar and communication systems.
Mike is also diligently working on leveragingRaytheons talent pool into the area of RFTechnology. He explains, Weve decided tofocus our enterprise-wide energies in theareas of AESAs, Digital Receivers, AdvancedMMICs, Flat Panel Arrays and MultifunctionRF Systems.
For Mike, work and volunteering are similar;there are problems to be solved: You rollup your sleeves and try to help. In somecases you lead, in others you participate,but its always a team activity. The workrewards are contributing to program wins,solving problems, getting colleagues towork together, watching younger engineersgrow with enthusiasm, taking on moreresponsibility and trying to learn somethingnew every day. In volunteering its thesmiles, respect and interest of the students,in knowing that we may have ignited aflame or had some influence on motivatingothers to think, and to pursue a career inengineering, science or math.
-
Space-borne MicrowaveRemote Sensing Microwave remote sensing has evolved into
an important all-weather tool for monitor-
ing the atmosphere and planetary object
surfaces, which emphasizes the characteri-
zation of the earth phenomenology. This
type of sensing encompasses the physics of
radio wave propagation and interaction
with material media, including surface and
volume scattering and emissions. Active
remote sensors include scatterometers,
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and altime-
ters, whereas passive sensors are known
as microwave radiometers. Raytheon has
a 30-plus-year history in space Satellite
Communications (SATCOM) and within the
last decade, has added remote sensing pay-
loads to our repertoire of outstanding
orbital performances.
The SeaWinds remote sensor has a special-
ized Ku-band radar (scatterometer),
designed to accurately measure the ampli-
tude scattering return from the ocean and
convert the data into global ocean surface
wind speeds and directions. A normalized
radar backscatter coefficient of the ocean
surface is measured at the same point on
the ocean surface at four different incident
angles, and is a function of the angle of
incidence and the sea state. Receive power
is determined by measuring the power in
narrow- and wide-band filters, then solving
two simultaneous equations from the
received power and the ubiquitous receiver
noise. The science community experimen-
tally and analytically established a geophysi-
cal model of wind vectors and wind geom-
etry over the last two decades to achieve
this complex indirect measurement from
space. The Scatterometer Electronic
Subsystem (SES) was designed and devel-
oped by Raytheon St. Petersberg for the
NASA/JPL program, and is currently on orbit
and fully operational. Examples of previous
wind vector maps of the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans and newly acquired data
from QuikScats SeaWinds are shown in the
figure (center column). The radar operates
at a carrier frequency of 13.402 GHz with a
nominal peak power of 110 watts, pulse
rate of 192 Hz and pulse width of 1.5
m/sec. The highly stable receiver measures
the return echo power from the ocean to a
precision of 0.15 dB. Key measurements
are a 1,800 km swath during each orbit
providing 90 percent coverage of the
Earths oceans every day, with wind speed
measurement range from 3 to 30 m/sec
with a 2 m/sec accuracy and wind direction
accuracy of 20 degrees at a vector resolu-
tion of 25 km.
Fifteen times a day, the satellite beams
collected science data to NASA ground sta-
tions, which relay the data to scientists and
weather forecasters. Winds play a major
role in weather systems and directly affect
the turbulent exchanges of heat, moisture
and greenhouse gases between the Earths
atmosphere and the ocean. They also play
a crucial part in the scientific equation for
determining long-term climate change.
Data from SeaWinds two-year mission will
greatly improve meteorologists ability to
forecast weather and understand longer-
term climate change. SeaWinds provides
ocean wind coverage to an international
team of climate specialists, oceanographers
and meteorologists interested in discovering
the secrets of climate patterns and improv-
ing the speed with which emergency pre-
paredness agencies can respond to fast-
moving weather fronts, floods, hurricanes,
tsunamis and other natural disasters.
Operating as NASAs next
El Nino watcher,
QuikScat will be
used to better
understand
global El Nino
and La Nina weather abnormalities. A
recent example of the advantages of space-
borne sensing was demonstrated when an
iceberg the size of Rhode Island had ellud-
ed ship-borne and airborne surveillance
devices and was drifting undetected off
Antarctica until Quikscat located it and
mapped its location (see figure above).
Another on-orbit remote sensor is the US
Navy GeoSAT Follow-On Ku-Band Radar
Altimeter, designed to maintain continuous
ocean observation from the GFO Exact
Repeat Orbit. This satellite includes all the
capabilities necessary for precise measure-
ment of both mesoscale and basin-scale
oceanography. Data retrieved from this
satellite is useful for ocean research, off-
shore energy production, ocean circulation
patterns and environmental change. GFO
was launched aboard a TAURUS launch
vehicle on Feb. 10, 1998, from Vandenberg
Air Force Base in California and still pro-
vides valuable data sets for the U.S. Navy
today. The radar uses co-boresighted
radiometers, a Raytheon design, for water
vapor correction. Radiometer calibration
has become a niche area of research, and
Raytheon holds several patents in calibrating
radiometers using variable Cold Noise
Sources based on MHEMT technology that
have been validated at NIST.
Space-borne SATCOMPayloadsFrom Iridium to MILSTAR to FLTSATCOM,
Raytheon has played a key role in the
development of commercial military space
satellite communications. Raytheon is the
major supplier of UHF SATCOM products
and services to the warfighter, including
space and ground hardware, software,
Continued on page 30
10
SATELLITESensors
-
11
Historically, Electronic Warfare (EW) hasbeen referred to as Electronic Countermeasures
(ECM) jamming, pure and simple. As the
electronic battlefield became more sophisti-
cated, EW has included Electronic Attack
(EA), Electronic Protect (EP) and Electronic
Support (ES). Technological advances have
contributed to larger roles for EW, for
example, Situational Awareness, Passive
Counter Targeting and Precision Emitter
Identification. Since EW
has come to be used uni-
versally, it has become a
necessary and integral part
of both mission planning
and campaign strategy.
Radar and Electronic
Countermeasures have
similarly evolved together
over the years as another
facet of the arms and
armament race. By todays
standards, the early radars
were quite unsophisticat-
ed. Operation could be
disrupted simply by transmitting more noise
within the radar bandwidth than was
returned from the target echo. Jamming
was relatively easy to carry out, because
substantial losses were sustained in the bi-
directional path from radar to target and
back, compared to the one-way transmis-
sion associated with the jamming method.
Radar designers responded with transmit-
ters having more and more power and
antennas having higher gain in order to
increase the radars Effective Radiated Power
(ERP). In addition, jammers also became
more powerful. The measure of perform-
ance of EW systems was based almost
entirely upon the Jam-to-Signal Ratio (J/S).
Radars got the task of not only detecting
threats, but also tracking and targeting
them. Chaff, bunched as bundles of tinfoil
strips which were cut to the resonant
length of the radar, burst into clouds when
dispensed from an aircraft, with the result
that alternative targets were offered to the
enemy radar to track. Tracking algorithms
for the radars improved from conical scan
to scan-on-receive-only to obscure scanning
from EW jammers. Jammers could jam
scanning radars generating false scanning
signals by slowly varying scanning modula-
tion through a range of potential values.
The base measure of performance for EW
systems continued to be J/S.
Radars having a monopulse tracking capa-
bility were soon invented. By having several,
independent receive channels, detection,
ranging and tracking could all be done
using a single received pulse. Since only a
single pulse was needed for tracking, jam-
ming modulations became ineffective. A
number of new jamming techniques were
devised to defeat monopulse tracking
radars. For example, during the Cold War,
war plans included having aircraft enter
and exit the target area at very low alti-
tudes, allowing the aircraft to hide in the
radar clutter. Raytheon EW invented the
Terrain Bounce technique in case an inter-
ceptor acquired target lock. The Terrain
Bounce technique simply received the radar
signal, amplified it and retransmitted it in a
narrow beam in front of the entering air-
craft. The bounce off the ground tech-
nique, while experiencing a degree of sig-
nal loss, nevertheless provided a true false
angle that the monopulse-tracking radar
would follow. Other techniques, such as
cross-polarization and cross-eye, provided
false angle information to monopulse-
tracking radars at the expense of severe
loss of coupling into the radar information
bandwidth. As a result, jammers continued
to have a high power requirement.
Raytheon EW has produced a number of
high-power radar jammers over the years.
For example, Raytheon has supplied almost
all the transmitters for the
EF-111 and EA-6B stand-
off jammers. The very
high-powered SLQ-32
provided protection for
the Navys Cruisers,
Battleships and Carriers.
The ALQ-184 jamming
pod provided self-protec-
tion for tactical aircraft like
the A-10 and F-16. The
SLQ-32 and ALQ-184
produced high ERP using
novel Rotman Lenses. The
Rotman lens enabled high
gain retrodirective jam-
ming on a pulse-by-pulse basis, without the
need of computing an angle of arrival of
the radar signal.
Radars have basically won the RF Power
arms race against jammers, because it
became increasingly difficult to provide high
power jammers with robust techniques that
would be effective against a wide variety of
radars. Not only could radars generate high
ERP efficiently, but digital technology vastly
improved their processing gain by using
post-detection integration, pulse coding
and Doppler filtering.
EW has continued to exploit radar vulnera-
bilities throughout the kill chain of
weapons systems. For example, Raytheons
ALE-50 is a small repeater/transmitter
towed behind the protected aircraft. The
ALE-50 transmits a stronger signal than the
echo bounced off the protected aircraft
Continued on page 12
ELECTRONIC WARFAREand Signal Intelligence
ALE-50
-
12
ELECTRONIC WARFARE
Continued from page 11
and therefore becomes a preferential target
to the missile seeker. Thus, the missile is
redirected from tracking the aircraft during
the endgame and instead tracks the towed
decoy. The ALE-50 decoy self-protection
concept has been proven in combat in
Kosovo and Iraq.
Many of the EW Systems being developed
today increase the benefits of stealth tech-
nology. Situational Awareness alone can
provide protection simply by avoiding detec-
tion by using low observable coatings and
materials most effectively. The new Radar
Warning Receivers (RWRs) like the Navys
ALR-67(V)3 and the USAFs ALR-69A are
being designed with channelized digital
receivers using a polyphase architecture.
The digital receivers are smaller and lighter
weight than conventional receivers, thus
better fulfilling the RWR role. In addition,
the linear phase responses permit using
algorithms that exploit situational aware-
ness, passive precision location for counter-
targeting and specific emitter identification.
Modern EW is not restricted to the RF
spectrum. One of the most significant
threats to aircraft having close
ground engagements for
example, the A-10 and
C-130, is the shoulder-fired
IR missile. Raytheon has
developed the Comet pod,
which dispenses pyrophoric
(heat emitting that is, igniting
spontaneously on contact with air) foils
that substitute false targets for the IR mis-
sile seekers. Pyrophoric material is basically
iron that oxidizes rapidly in order to provide
radiation in the IR spectrum, with the bene-
fit that there is no identifiable signature in
the visible spectrum. Dispensing of
pyrophoric foils, in concert with a missile
warning radar, is being proposed to the
Department of Homeland Security in
response to their initiative to find cost-
effective means to protect commercial air-
craft from IR missiles in proximity to airports.
Todays technology is being applied to
Electronic Warfare Systems to make them
smaller, faster and more intelligent than the
Weapons Systems that place them under
attack. In their roles of Suppression or
Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses
(SEAD/DEAD), the systems rely more on
finesse rather than raw power. New algo-
rithms and computational power enable
Precision Engagement (PE) and full partici-
pation in Network Centric Warfare (NCW).
Additionally, the newly developed digital
receivers also enable an expanded role for
Intelligence Surveillance and
Reconnaissance (ISR).
Future EW systems will incorporate not only
wideband digital receivers, but also trans-
mitter exciters that contain Digital RF
Memory (DRFM). DRFM converts the
received RF signal to a stream of zeros and
ones via high speed sampling and stores
the bitstream in memory for later recall.
The stored bitstream is a high-fidelity replica
of coded pulses, such that pulses transmit-
ted at a later time as jamming signals are
accepted as valid signals by the victim
radar and are passed on with the full pro-
cessing gain of the radar receiver. This EW
technology is necessary to
keep pace with the future radar systems
that will have electronically steered antenna
arrays, advanced coded signal processing
and pulse-to-pulse agility.
Raytheon is a full participant in modern EW
systems, using the latest in digital receiver,
fiber optic, steerable antenna array and
solid-state technologies. The use of finesse
rather than raw power makes EW a
participant in four strategic initiatives:
the Suppression or Destruction of Enemy
Air Defenses (SEAD/DEAD), Precision
Engagement (PE), Network Centric Warfare
(NCW) and Intelligence Surveillance and
Reconnaissance (ISR). n
Comet pod
EngineeringPerspective
Randy ConilogueEngineering Fellowand Chairman RFSTN
Upon joining HughesAircraft in 1976, my jobwas to design a MicrowaveIntegrated Circuit (MIC)amplifier using a singleGaAs FET transistor manu-
factured by Hughes Research Laboratories (now HRL).Our CAD design tool for simulating these early RFMICs was a Teletype machine with an acousticmodem tied to a mainframe, running S-Parametersimulations. My desktop design tool was a Smithchart on a piece of plywood with a floating mylar diskpinned to the plywood with a push pin. I used a pen-cil to mark the S-parameters on the mylar, rotate themylar around the Smith Chart, and apply parallel andseries components to match the transistors to 50ohms. I cut my circuits on Rubylith, etched my ownMIC circuits, put the parts down with eutectic solderand did my own wire-bonding. Next I tuned up thecircuits, tested and moved on to the next iteration ofthe circuit.
Its a different RF world out there today. Detailed sim-ulations can be run on a desktop with electromagnet-ic simulations of circuit elements, parasitics, transi-tions and interactions. MICs on Alumina Substrateshave been replaced by Monolithic MicrowaveIntegrated Circuits (MMICs) that can be placed direct-ly on Printed Wiring Boards (PWB) or packaged withother MMICs to form Transmit/Receive modules andother RF subsystems. RF Circuits and CAD Toolsappear to be following Moores Law in their exponen-tial growth: Components and packaging are shrink-ing; integration levels are growing; sophistication ofRF subsystems is rising; and digital content is increas-ing. Digital speeds are becoming faster with SiGe andthe ever-shrinking MOSFET technologies. Analog-to-digital converters are pushing further up the RF pro-cessing chain, replacing many of the classical RF/ana-log circuits with digital equivalents that provide high-er accuracy than their RF equivalents but at whatprice? There are difficult tradeoffs between the sim-ple-but-elegant RF or Analog circuit and the moreaccurate digital equivalent in terms of size, power andcomplexity. These tradeoffs require the RF subsystemengineer to know more than just RF design. TodaysRF designers need to have additional skills in analog,digital, DSP, algorithms, architectures, system perform-ance and customer needs. In other words, todays RFdesigner needs to become more of a systems engi-neer. Though Raytheon will still build RF componentsand RF subsystems, our future lies in our ability toapply new technologies to new and novel sensors andplatforms for our customers.
The key to unlocking great opportunities for Raytheonis enterprise-wide collaboration leveraged byRaytheon Technology Networks. Applying the righttechnology to each product is an ongoing effort thatmakes steady progress every year.
-
Telegraphy was the first form of electroniccommunications developed by Joseph Henry
and Samuel F. B. Morse in the 1830s.
Telegraphy soon evolved to include voice
communication in the 1870s following the
invention of the telephone by Alexander
Graham Bell and Elisha Gray. Guglielmo
Marconi, Reginald Fessenden and other
radio pioneers made wireless communica-
tion possible by the end of the 19th
Century, enabling communication between
any two points on the Earth. Throughout
the 20th Century, RF communications tech-
nology evolved rapidly. Commercial broad-
casting, television, the world-wide tele-
phone network, satellite communications,
the Internet and cellular telephones are
examples of the continuing progression of
RF communication technology. Now in the
21st Century, the continuing development
of communications technology has made it
possible to rapidly communicate events and
information across the world in seconds.
Operating hand-in-hand with the communi-
cations network (i.e., the Internet and the
computer), this capability has brought the
worlds population together into what some
refer to as the global village. The same
technology has in many ways enhanced the
advancement of other technologies and, for
better or worse, shaped the world in which
we live today.
Raytheon and its acquired business entities
have been involved in military voice com-
munications since the 1920s when a
predecessor company, Magnavox, supplied
noise-canceling microphones for use in air-
craft radios. Weve supplied complete radio
systems in support of national defense since
1950. Raytheon and its acquired companies
have been leaders in both voice and digital
communications development for battlefield
communications, and facilitation of defense
command-and-control operations. These
efforts have led to the development of
radio terminals that relay communication
across the world, provide highly secure,
jam-resistant, encrypted data links, spread
spectrum digital communications and tacti-
cal wireless networking.
HF/VHF/UHF Tact icalCommunicat ionsHistorically, radios provided communications
through dedicated waveforms in a specific
frequency band. These radios were imple-
mented using a fixed configuration, and
Communications Security (COMSEC) was
employed through
externally mounted
hardware devices, such
as the KY-57. Various
radio products were devel-
oped in order to expand the
frequency coverage and address increasing
military demands. By the 1970s, Raytheon
(vis vis Magnavox) was the leading pro-
ducer of radio products covering the fre-
quency range from 2 to 400 MHz. Some of
these radios include the AN/ARC-164 (AM
airborne radio), the AN/VRC-12
(primary Combat Net Radio) and the
AN/GRC-106 (HF SSB radio).
Increasingly diverse mission requirements
and difficult operating conditions (for
example, jamming, crowded spectrum, etc.)
resulted in the need for Electronic Counter-
Counter Measures (ECCM) capability. This
led to the development of more sophisticat-
ed waveforms such as HAVE QUICK by the
late 1970s. This waveform was implement-
ed into several radios, including the
AN/ARC-164 and the RT-1319 ground man-
pack. Increasing military demands resulted
in the development of radios providing
selectable waveform modes and increased
frequency coverage. By the 1980s and
1990s, radios such as the AN/PSC-5
Multi-Band Multi-Mission Manpack Radio
(MBMMR) and AN/ARC-231 airborne radios
were developed. These radios are software-
controlled, highly versatile and support
waveforms such as AM, FM, HAVE QUICK,
SINCGARS, SATCOM and DAMA SATCOM
in various analog-voice,
digital-voice and data formats,
and include various embedded
COMSEC protocols, eliminating the
need for any external COMSEC device.
Todays battlefield is more dynamic and
advanced than ever before, with instant
communication of battlefield locations, pic-
tures, voice, data and live video. Firepower
can be precisely directed at target positions
within a moments notice. Widely available
and accurate situation-awareness data
through Raytheons SADL and EPLRS net-
works prevents fratricide and enables
rapid response and extraction of downed
pilots and wounded personnel. EPLRS and
SADL work across US services to digitally
connect US Army EPLRS equipped ground
forces with USAF SADL aircraft. In addition,
Raytheon continues its leadership in the
communications area with the EPLRS and
MBMMR radios.
Continued on page 14
13
RF CommunicationsRadios, Data Links and Terminals
AN/ARC-164 Radio family
-
14
Continued from page 13
RF Communicat ions TodayRaytheon is currently involved in the devel-
opment of the following systems which
employ RF technologies:
EPLRS Secure anti-jam mobile data radio Backbone of the Tactical Internet Situation Awareness Data Link (SADL) Weapon data links (AMSTE, JDAM) JTRS Cluster 1 waveform implementation
Networking Technology FCS-Comms DARPA research and development
programs Directional antennas Protocol development Information Assurance Modeling and Simulation
Wideband Data Links USC-28(V) DECS Netfires Tactical Tomahawk Satellite Data Link
Terminal (SDLT)
Large Scale System Engineering &Integration DD(X) Mobile User Objective System (MUOS)
satellite communication system Peace Shield (Saudi Arabia BMC4I system) MC2A Data fusion SLAMRAAM
Battlespace Digitization Force XXI Battle Command Brigade
and Below (FBCB2) Army and Marine Tactical Internet
Architecture Tactical Routers (MicroRouter) Bosnia Defense Initiative Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom
Radios Software Defined Radio
technology (SCA, JTRS) EPLRS MBMMR ARC-231
RF Communicat ions The FutureIn the future, Network-Centric Battlefield
communications will involve the network-
ing of all radio/comm links in a massive,
interconnected network, similar to the
World Wide Web, except it will be entirely
wireless. This network will be able to
exchange information from a warfighter on
the ground to a satellite, airplane, ship or
sensor. Networks will be ad-hoc and self-
healing in the event of node failures.
Raytheon is a major participant in the
definition and development of the
Network-Centric Battlefield through pro-
grams such as Netfires and JTRS. We were
the prime contractor in the development
of the Core Framework for the Software
Communications Architecture for the
JTRS program.
Increasing mission requirements are putting
additional demands on future military com-
munications, including broader frequency
coverage (2 MHz to greater than 2 GHz)
and broadband transmit and receive chains
with high speed analog to digital convert-
ers in the 1 Gsps range and higher, result-
ing in digital hardware being positioned
closer to the antenna as this technology
matures. Antennas will become arrays in
order to incorporate Space Time Adaptive
Processing (STAP) for nullifying jammers
and interference. Frequencies will move to
the KA band. These new radios will
incorporate frequency-agile waveforms that
will permit operation in dense cosite envi-
ronments. Radios and datalinks will become
Network-centric battlefield
communications will involve
the networking of all
radio/comm links in a massive,
interconnected network,
similar to the World Wide
Web, except it will be
entirely wireless.
software definable, allowing reconfigura-
tion on the fly and easy upgrades to new
modes and waveforms. JTRS emphasizes an
open architecture for easy software
reprogramming, which will allow users to
access newly developed waveforms and
communication protocols without changing
radios. This provides the tactical user with
all essential communications within a
single unit.
In support of the Network-Centric
Battlefield, Raytheon is developing the
technology for including a radio/link on
every platform through the Miniature Low
Cost Data Link (MLCDL) program. Raytheon
builds satellite modems (a form of data
link), voice communication radios and
RF COMMUNICATIONS
NetFires Enables NLOS Network Centric Control of Missiles In-flight Non-Line-of-Sight Launcher System (NLOS-LS/NetFires) is the Armys first net-
centric weapon system for indirect fires and has the potential to make possible
revolutionary changes in future combat. For the first time, commanders will be
able to deploy a fully networked missile beyond the line of sight and exercise
real-time control over the missile while in flight. The missile as part of a
communications network can communicate potential target reports, battle
damage information and target imagery to the net in real-time while in flight
to the target area, loitering over it or when attacking the target. The network
connection allows the warfighter to direct a missile in flight, provide target
location updates for movers or receive a laser target command from the mis-
sile once it enters the search area, all with minimum latency.
-
15
GPS and Navigation Systems
The RF Challengeremote battlefield sensors to sense troopmovements and relay the information tocentral command. In future urban warfare
situations, a network of sensors will be
used to detect and report enemy combat-
ants. This network will relay information
from one sensor to the other to enhance
the sensor coverage area. This will be a
major part of the Network-Centric
Battlefield concept.
Raytheon additionally uses its communica-
tions expertise to support products for
gathering signals for intelligence purposes.
Another planned initiative involves the
development of the Future Combat System-
Communications (FCS-C), designed to
seamlessly integrate ad-hoc mobile net-
working with adaptive full spectrum, high
data rate low-band (~10 Mbps) and high
data rate high-band (~72 Mbps) communi-
cations, with both bands employing adap-
tive beam-forming antenna technology. The
Raytheon Teams FCS-C system design will
provide assured, networked high data rate,
low probability of intercept/detection, and
anti-jam (LPI/LPD/AJ) networked communi-
cations. This will facilitate on-the-move
communications in restrictive (forested,
mountainous, urban) terrain engagements
for potential use in various types of robotic
and manned FCS vehicles. This is a quan-
tum leap from currently deployed systems
capabilities which:
Are limited to frequencies well below 1 Mbps,
Do not employ smart antennatechnology, adaptive waveforms, nora high-band subsystem that can beintegrated with low band
Do not have reliable, ad-hoc, mobile-to-mobile networking.
This communications system will create a
tactical information grid that will support
network-centric operations for all FCS vehi-
cles. By integrating both low- and high-
band radios with dynamic antenna beam-
forming technology (in an adaptive ad-hoc
mobile network), the FCS Unit Cell is fully
equipped to demonstrate superior com-
mand, control, situational awareness,
mobility, lethality, survivability and support-
ability for the FCS Objective Force. n
Military GPS receiver RF designs havealways presented unique challenges. Early
GPS RF designs relied upon dual and triple
conversion schemes to down-convert the
GPS L1 and L2 signals (1-2 GHz) to either
IF or base band, prior to signal correlation
and demodulation. These designs uti-
lized discrete, off-the-shelf, GaAs
amplifiers and mixers, with custom-built
L-band and IF filters, resulting in large
and costly designs. As digital and
microprocessor technology has
advanced, the size and cost of GPS
receivers related to signal correlation
and processing have diminished.
The RF design has, in fact, begun to
dominate the GPS receivers size and
cost. One way to reverse this trend is
through the development and use of RF
ASIC technology. The commercial GPS
manufacturers have been very successful
in developing single-chip GPS receivers
using mixed-mode, SiGe (silicon-germani-
um) ASIC technology. This commercial tech-
nology is specifically designed to support
the L1 frequency (civil) and is inexpensive,
resulting in very low cost and smaller com-
mercial GPS receivers. However, this tech-
nology is not applicable to military GPS
receivers due to limited bandwidth and
low dynamic range.
Recently due to the requirements to
incorporate 911 capabilities into cellular
telephones a number of RF component
manufacturers have been designing and
manufacturing an expanded line of inte-
grated RF devices that have applicability
to military GPS receiver designs. RF Micro
Devices and Nippon Electric Company have
both developed highly integrated GPS RF
down-converter, ASIC devices that integrate
the synthesizer, RF down converter and A/D
functions into a single ASIC. These devices,
although not specifically designed for mili-
tary GPS applications, provide performance
characteristics that allow them to be used
in, and adapted to, low-performance
military GPS applications supporting single-
frequency operation. Still, these RF ASIC
designs only marginally live up to military
GPS receiver design requirements and
cannot be used in high performance GPS
applications.
What is needed is a highly integrated RF
ASIC that has widespread applications for
both military and civil GPS use. The RF
design challenge is to use commercially
viable, RF ASIC SiGe technology in the cre-
ation of an evolutionary design that provides
the functionality required for both emerging
military anti-jam, multi-channel GPS receiver
designs, as well as offering significant
improvements to standard military and
commercial GPS receivers. Designing for the
commercial market takes advantage of the
higher-volume, commercial applications to
minimize the cost for military applications.
Specifically, the capabilities required for
this highly integrated GPS RF ASICs are as
follows:
C/A, Y, and M code compatibility
L1, L2, L2 (civil) and L5 operation
Multi-channel RF Processing anddown conversion
Jamming Resistance
RF, IF and Digital Outputs
Continued on page 17
-
As shown in the systems described, RF Sensors and RF processing arekey components in a large number of Raytheons systems. RF is used to
transmit information via electromagnetic waves through space and
translate these waves into intelligible information. RF components such
as magnetrons, klystrons, amplifiers, semiconductors and MMICs have
been conceived, developed, manufactured and improved ever since
Marconis invention of the wireless telegraph in 1896.
Todays research and development at Raytheon is focused on technology
that will improve the performance and capability of current systems. This
research will afford cost-effective solutions to our customers changing
scenarios and challenges related to national defense. New and emerging
threats (such as terrorism and urban warfare) need to be counteracted
with new approaches and quick implementation of RF technology.
Raytheon possesses both the technology and the expertise to mold this
technology into solutions to combat these new threats.
Specific technology directions in research and development related to RF
components and subsystems at Raytheon include:
Solid-State Active Electronically Scanned Antennas (AESA)
High-efficiency power amplifiers
Directed energy technologies
New semiconductors, including SiGe, InP and GaN for higher levels of integration, higher power and higher speed.
High Density MMICs and TR Modules
Frequency Agile sources
Digital receivers and transmitters (signal processing)
Software Defined Radio Architectures and their implementation
Higher bandwidth and higher sensitivity RF components
Radar stealth coatings and materials
Micro Electro Mechanical Structures (MEMS) Switching
Just as important is Raytheons ongoing research and development
related to systems improvements:
Ka band frequencies for higher resolution and pointing accuracy
Integrating multiple beams and simultaneous modes into single systems
Space-time, adaptive processing (STAP) and jammer-nulling techniques
Composite airframes
Netted Communications across platforms
The Raytheon RF engineering community continues to change along with
changing system requirements by improving collaboration and communi-
cation among engineers through symposia and information sharing. In
addition, future RF engineers will be transforming themselves into sys-
tems designers as we work to find the best and most cost-effective
solutions to our customers continuing needs. n
16
THE FUTUREof RF Technology
2003 RF Symposium ProvidesInteraction With Customers
This was one of the best technology forumsthat I have participated in, says Tim Kemerley, Aerospace
Components Division Chief, Air Force Research Laboratory.
He praised the 2003 RF Systems Technology Network (RFSTN)
Symposium at the Don CeSar Resort, April 21-24, 2003,in St.
Petersberg Beach, Fla. The quality and the breadth of the
technology papers presented were very impressive, he says.
I have worked with various components of Raytheon for 30
years. It is amazing to see them coming together in a powerful
way! Thanks for inviting Department of Defense customers.
The annual Raytheon-wide symposium facilitates exchange
of research results and novel ideas for microwave, millimeter-
wave and radio-frequency technology. Reflecting this years
theme, Innovative Technology for Customer Success,
Department of Defense (DoD) participants (Raytheon cus-
tomers) attended to provide their perspectives. Usually kept
company proprietary, this was the first RF symposium where
customers were invited to participate in all technical sessions,
joining the 390 Raytheon attendees and about 170 others
from across the country who participated via webcast.
Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Science and
Technology, Dr. Charles Holland, delivered the keynote
address, stressing how selected RF technologies were
enablers of future critical missions. Dr. Bobby Junker, Head,
Information, Electronics & Information Sciences, Office of
Naval Research, described the importance of advanced multi-
function RF technologies to the Navy. Tim Kemmerly,
Aerospace Components Division Chief, Sensors Directorate,
Air Force Research Laboratory, presented an overview of Air
Force sensor technology needs and key technical challenges
for RF components. Dr Robert Leheny, Director of DARPAs
Microsystems Technology Office, gave his perspectives on
the future of microelectronics for military systems, anticipat-
ing the end of Moores Law and citing the vital role of
nanotechnology.
Customers had the opportunity to
view over 230 technical papers
presented among the four parallel
tracks. Interaction was encouraged
with two poster sessions, two work-
shops on RF Filters and Antenna,
Radome, Array Error Analysis and 30
vendor displays.
This was the fifth annual Raytheon RF Symposium. DoD
participation was very well received from Raytheon customers
and participants. It was frequently mentioned that the
interaction was worthwhile and should be encouraged in
future symposia.
-
Leadership Perspective GPS
Dr. PETER PAOVice PresidentTechnology
Your responsibi l i ty in aCustomer-FocusedCompany
Being a customer-focused company is the
foundation of Raytheons business strate-
gy. The three pillars of this Customer
Focused Management (CFM) strategy are
Performance, Relationships and Solutions.
But what does this mean to you as a
Raytheon engineer? What is your role in
executing this strategy? I would like to
share some of my thoughts with you.
Performance is about meeting our com-
mitments providing the best value solu-
tions to our customers. It includes system
performance, reliability, supportability,
cost, schedule, weight, size, power and a
few other critical requirements. We need
to pay attention to all these parameters in
every design phase. For example, not only
does the design have to meet performance
requirements, it must be viable and meet
cost targets. We need to have a cost
model so we can estimate production cost
during system design. We can draw similar
conclusions on reliability and maintainability.
As many of you know, this means bal-
anced design, and Raytheon Six SigmaTM is
the right tool for this purpose. I strongly
encourage you, as engineers, to learn and
practice Raytheon Six Sigma. It is the path
to follow on the journey of meeting our
total commitment.
Relationships are about building positive
and solid connections with our customers.
This can only be accomplished by under-
standing their challenges, anticipating their
needs, proactively responding to their
requests and following through on our
commitments. Most of our major pro-
grams today are built on this kind of cus-
tomer relationship. It always starts with a
few engineers determined to understand
and solve a customers problems. Building
relationships takes time but, if we persist,
customers will realize they can count on us
and our company; that is how we win
their trust and their business. To our cus-
tomers, we are Raytheon. Our attitudes,
our actions and our outcomes determine
our image. Building customer relationships
is not just for BD or program managers.
It is up to each and every one of us.
Providing solutions is our business, and
innovative technology solutions are what
we sell our customers. We must remember
that the technology is the means, not the
end. We can not do technology for
technologys sake, and we certainly cannot
let our own bias our love for the tech-
nology we develop restrict or blind us.
It is up to us to apply the most appropriate
technology to provide the best solution to
our customers, regardless of the source of
that technology. This means, one, we need
to work together as One Company to
offer the best to our customers. And, two,
we need to be lifetime learners as we
continually track global technology devel-
opment so we can apply it to solve our
customers problems.
Today our customers are facing different
challenges. Their needs are changing, and
our market is transforming at a rate that
has never been experienced before in our
industry. Companies that understand these
changes and are capable of providing
the best solutions will be the winners of
this transformation. We have that capabili-
ty but, now more than ever, this is the
time we need to be customer-focused.
When we connect with our customers,
provide superior performance and solve
their problems, we will grow our company.
For more information about Raytheon Six Sigma,
visit http://homext.ray.com/sixsigma/
Continued from page 15
To meet the dual requirements for increased
tracking performance and anti-jam, military
GPS receivers require low phase noise, high
dynamic range and precisely matched, RF
down conversion channels. In order to meet
these requirements, RF designers had to
revert back to discrete GaAs amplifiers and
mixers and precisely matched RF and IF filters.
Shown on page 15 is a two-channel RF
design for a high anti-jam GPS system. As
shown, the large, discrete RF and IF filters
dominate the design.
Raytheon is studying ways to reduce the size
and cost of these designs by a factor of 10,
using state-of-the-art SiGe 0.18 CMOS RF
ASIC technology and Thin Film Resonator
(TFR) filters. The requirements for this GPS
down converter include greater than 40 dB of
channel-to-channel isolation, greater than 70
dB of dynamic range and very small channel-
to-channel differential group delay. It is also a
priority to have more than one down convert-
er channel in an RF ASIC design.
Raytheon is leveraging
state-of-the-art technology to
greatly reduce the size and cost
of RF designs.
TFR filters provide promise, in that they have
very linear phase characteristics over the
required bandwidths and are small and low
cost. However, the TFR manufacturers are
concentrating on commercial applications.
Specific custom filter designs for military GPS
receivers using this new technology should be
developed and tested.
The GPS RF design rep