TECH FOCUS AREAS: General Warfighting Requirements (GWR) TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors; Electronics; Air Platform OBJECTIVE: This topic seeks to develop a multi-channel 2-18 GHz receive-only RF personality subsystem to interface with conformal antenna arrays and the Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC analog-to-digital system-on-chip devices. The developed receiver personality will leverage a commercial off the shelf open architecture approach to reduce cost and be form factored to integrate inside the size, weight, and power (SWaP) limitations of platforms such as the AgilePod(tm) and Valkyrie XQ58A nose cones. DESCRIPTION: To operate effectively in highly contested environments, there is a critical need for distributed multi-function RF sensing capabilities on attritable platforms supporting integration into a dynamic battlefield environment within the sensing grid construct of the Air Battle Management System (ABMS). The Department of Defense (DoD) is developing the next generation of conformal phased array technologies with highly flexible, scalable, and reconfigurable RF digital backends, also known as digital receiver/exciter (DREX). These DREX modules operate over wide frequency bands and support many channels in a small SWaP form factor. Current multi-channel phased array receiver personalities, however, are still too expensive and have limited modularity for scaling capabilities in attritable-class platforms. In order to further reduce system life cycle costs and increase the ease of upgradability, next generation phase array technologies need to support common interfaces, such as Sensor Open Systems Architecture (SOSA), and modular subsystem integration approaches. The goal of this topic area is to develop a modular and scalable receive-only RF personality directly connected with structurally integrated conformal antenna arrays and the Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC for future SIGINT/ELINT, radar warning receiver (RWR), bistatic synthetic aperture radar, and bistatic ground moving target indicator radar capability demonstrations. Recent significant advances in commercially available RF electronics will enable performance improvements to a receiver's instantaneous bandwidth and sensitivity while lowering system costs. The Air Force seeks a scalable receive-only 32-channel and 128-channel RF personality operating from 2-18 GHz (threshold requirement of 6-18 GHz) with a tunable bandwidth of 50-4000 MHz, spur free dynamic range of at least 90 dB, and Noise Figure better than 8 dB. The ADC sampling rate and effective number of bits (ENOB) will be defined by the Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC, with further DREX subsystem and conformal antenna array interface details provided by the Air Force at the beginning of Phase 1. No other government materials, equipment, data, or facilities are required for successful program completion. The developed RF personality should adhere to the 3U OpenVPX form factor, which defines maximum size, weight, power, and cooling per slot (see ANSI/VITA 65-2017). Likewise, the design must include at least 16 channels per VPX card to support standard phase array system architectures. The developed personality architecture needs to be readily scalable beyond 128-channels in order to support future sensing needs. Additionally, the RF personality must include functionality to enable a hybrid analog/digital subarray beamforming architecture. Each RF path must incorporate phase and amplitude control to support this RF system architecture. PHASE I: Phase I efforts will design a high-fidelity RF systems model of the receive-only RF personality to meet the performance objectives outlined in the description. Phase I companies will perform modeling, simulation and analysis trade-studies to identify the optimal approach and demonstrate concept feasibility of expected performance, size, weight, power consumption, and cooling considerations. The high-fidelity model will be delivered to the Air Force, as well as a Phase II work breakdown structure and dual-use strategy. PHASE II: Phase II efforts will develop and deliver a prototype 32-channel and 128-channel receive-only RF personality meeting the topic performance requirements (TRL 4 demonstration criteria). Experimental measurements will be performed to verify performance. Additionally, an interface control document detailing aspects such as mechanical, electrical, and control interfaces will be delivered to the Air Force. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: In Phase III, the company will assist the Air Force to adapt and transition the technology to the AgilePodtm program through Advanced Technologies Branch of the ISR Sensors Division (AFLCMC/WINA) and Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie low-cost attritable strike demonstrator (LCASD) program. This technology has the potential to improve many other military systems across multiple agencies and other on-going small UAS programs. The company will actively engage with the Air Force to improve the TRL and adapt the technology to enhance future mission areas. Additionally, the developed technology may be readily adopted and commercialized in the rapidly growing satellite communications market for high data rate MIMO ground stations as well as the wireless mobile backhaul markets. NOTES: The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the proposed tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with section 5.4.c.(8) of the Announcement and within the AF Component-specific instructions. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. Please direct questions to the Air Force SBIR/STTR Help Desk: usaf.team@afsbirsttr.us REFERENCES: K. C. Lauritzen, J. E. Sluz, M. E. Gerwell, A. K. Wu and S. H. Talisa, High-Dynamic-Range Receivers for Digital Beam Forming Radar Systems, 2007 IEEE Radar Conference, Waltham, MA, USA, 2007, pp. 55-60; Peter Delos, A Review of Wideband RF Receiver Architecture Options, Analog Devices, Inc., February 2017; James Tsui and Chi-Hao Cheng, Digital Techniques for Wideband Receivers, SciTech, 2015; Salvador H. Talisa, Kenneth W. O'Haver, Thomas M. Comberiate, Matthew D. Sharp, Oscar F. Somerlock, Benefits of Digital Phased Array Radars, Proceedings of the IEEE, vol. 104, no. 3, pp. 530-543, 2016; Nicholas L. Peccarelli, Caleb Fulton, Adaptive Nonlinear Equalization for Digital Array Receivers, Microwave Theory and Techniques IEEE Transactions on, vol. 67, no. 11, pp. 4493-4504, 2019. KEYWORDS: Ultrawideband; High Dynamic Range; Digital Receiver; RF Personality
