Aerospace Sensors

Aerospace Sensors under the Air Force's Research, Development, Test & Evaluation budget activity, aims to advance technology for aerospace sensors and electronic combat to enhance combat effectiveness through anytime, anywhere surveillance, reconnaissance, precision targeting, and electronic warfare capabilities. The program focuses on developing technologies for radio frequency (RF) sensor aerospace applications, electro-optical (EO) and infrared (IR) aerospace sensor technologies, radio frequency antennas for airborne and space surveillance, sensor information fusion for situational awareness, affordable all-weather surveillance and reconnaissance systems, and agile and resilient mission systems. The program also aims to harmonize efforts and eliminate duplication through coordination with the Department of Defense Science and Technology Executive Committee process.

Project 622002 within PE 0602204F specifically focuses on electronic and optoelectronic technologies for aerospace sensors and electronic warfare applications. The project aims to develop exploratory electronic and optoelectronic devices, components, microsystems, and subsystems for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, battlespace access, and precision engagement capabilities. It also involves research into autonomous low size, weight, and power sensor processing; digital technology for multifunction microwave and millimeter wave arrays; wideband multifunction radio frequency sensor subsystems; high-efficiency microwave power modules; high-power narrow line width laser sources; trusted electronic and optoelectronic systems; advanced highly integrated microsystems; reconfigurable transceivers; microsystem integration solutions; chip-scale photonic/electronic wideband transceiver components; high-Q passive components for heterogeneous integration; and application areas development of heterogeneous integration concepts.

In summary, the goals of Program PE 0602204F are to advance aerospace sensor technologies to enhance combat effectiveness by providing anytime, anywhere surveillance capabilities while pursuing simultaneous advances in various technological areas such as RF sensors, EO/IR sensors, radio frequency antennas, sensor information fusion, all-weather surveillance systems, trusted electronics systems, advanced microsystems integration solutions. These advancements aim to maintain superiority over potential near-peer adversaries in key technology areas including communication, navigation, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance multi-domain/multi-dimensional sensor systems.