Broadband digital frontends as enabler for software defined Radar

Abstract

In this paper technical advances towards future broadband digital frontends are presented and discussed. Technical challenges on this path, such as ultra-wideband digital sampling, architectures for wideband frequency coverage, System on Chip technologies for digital beamforming, broadband antenna apertures including GaN / SiGe TR-Module technologies are addressed. Hensoldt's technological progress with respect to these challenges is shown. The operational benefits of future broadband digital frontends are outlined and even greater advantages in combining Radar, EW and Data Link capabilities with digital broadband AESAs are pointed out.