Derrick Henry
Lockheed Martin conducted a flight demonstration of its 12th generation electronic warfare transceiver using the Agilex 9 Direct RF FPGA from Intel company Altera.
Carried out for the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, the test, dubbed the SHIP-enabled Wideband Transceiver Integrated Flight Test, proved that a sensor open systems architecture-based electronic platform with Altera’s microchip can be used in military operations, Lockheed said Monday.
The flight test, which was conducted at the U.S. Army’s Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona using a group 2 unmanned air vehicle, showcased the transceiver’s ability to detect and locate missions against real enemy emitters.
The demonstration also advanced the Department of Defense’s objective to employ size, weight and power-constrained airborne platforms for deploying electronic warfare effects.
In addition, it highlighted the need for U.S.-produced microelectronics designed for DOD applications and the importance of OUSD-R&E’s State-of-the-Art Heterogeneous Integrated Packaging program.
Steven Walker, vice president and chief technology officer at Lockheed, described the event as a step forward in the collaborative effort with the DOD to equip U.S. warfighters with domestically manufactured chips.
In April, Lockheed signed an agreement with the Defense Department to build and integrate a SOSA-based airborne electronic defense platform into the Navy’s MH-60R helicopter under the Stimulating Transition for Advanced Microelectronics Packaging program.
“The SHIP program’s transformative influence on DoD capabilities bolsters confidence in these ongoing advancements and paves the way for their integration throughout the military in support of our customers’ most critical missions,” Walker added.
