First Flight of a High Power Software Defined

Electronic Warfare System

Thomas F Brukiewa
SAS, Systems Development Center, Electronic Warfare Systems Department
Raytheon
El Segundo CA
Tom.brukiewa@raytheon.com

AbstractA description and flight test results of the First
Flight of Raytheons prototype next-generation, Pod based,
airborne Electronic Warfare (EW) system is presented. The
system is powered by the airstream flowing through a submerged
turbine connected to a generator. The primary recipient of this
prime power is a wideband, polarization diverse, Active
Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) with Transmit/Receive
(T/R) modules that contain efficient Gallium Nitride (GaN)
amplifiers capable of operating between 0 to 100% duty cycle in
either transmit or receive mode. Also featured is an all-digital,
scalable, reprogrammable Software Defined Receiver/Exciter
Unit that provides the technique generation. The airborne
demonstration missions were flown on a Gulfstream III aircraft.
They highlighted the jamming techniques that included Transmit
and Receive waveforms, AESA beam agility and control, AESA
transmit power, generator speed control/power management,
and end-to-end system integration effectiveness against real
target emitters.
KeywordsFlight test; AESA; EW; electromagnetic spectrum;
GaN; IADS; MFIRES Software Defined Receiver Exciter.
I. INTRODUCTION
The next generation of Electronic Warfare (EW) systems
requires significant enhancements in a wide range of
technologies, synergistically integrated, to remain relevant
against evolving future threats. Threat systems are becoming
more adaptable, networked, agile in time, and have capabilities
across the spectrum. EW systems must evolve with these
threats to maintain effectiveness in all the warfighting
domains: land, air, sea, space and cyberspace. The
electromagnetic spectrum (EMS), an emerging sixth domain, is
a battle space that offers opportunities for high tech
dominance. It also presents an opportunity for low budget bad
actors to operate effectively. We must be able to counter any
adverse use of the spectrum. Therefore our ability to maneuver
in the EMS with systems that have an extremely wide
operating frequency range, adjustable high efficient power, and
fully arbitrary waveforms for radar, communications or EW is
a must.
Enabling EW technologies for current and future threats
must provide the ability to be RF-agile, adaptable, and for
many missions high power. The system must have the ability
to maneuver within the spectrum, monitor it and deliver a
precise waveform where and when it is needed. Key attributes
include wide operating bandwidths, rapid switching, directive
electronically scanned beams, full polarization diversity, and
adaptive waveforms for superior spectrum maneuverability and
manipulation. Raytheon has developed many unique Active
Electronically Scanned Arrays (AESAs). The AESA presented
here is unique in that it is designed for EW application. The
MFIRES software defined receiver/exciter also described here
has the capability to deliver any EW technique within the EW
mission space. Core technological advances are not limited to
the RF sub-systems but are also needed for power generation
and thermal management. Advances in efficient prime power
generation and power handling are needed to deliver sufficient
power for future secure standoff ranges.
II. ADVANCED TECH NOLOGY EW SYSTEMS REQUIRED
There are many applications of EW. One motivating
mission is shown in Figure 1. An initial phase of an air battle
is the ability to achieve air superiority by degrading an enemy's
Integrated Air Defense System (IADS). This is accomplished
by breaking the kill chain of the enemy's IADS. An IADS
system is composed of many radar systems each designed for a
specific function and related communication systems for
command and control. Each type of radar, (early warning,
target acquisition, ground control intercept, or fire control),
operates at a different frequency band with unique waveforms.
The total frequency band can range from UHF to X Band.
Therefore, an effective EW system must have a significantly
wider operating frequency bandwidth than any one radar
requires. The RF communications networks need to be
addressed in addition to the radars. This adds a significant
waveform flexibility requirement to the EW system [1].
Fig. 1. A Synchronized Multifunction Electronic Attack Can Help Break The
Kill Chain of An Integrated Air Defense System (IADS).

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 The US military has suggested that the EMS is a critical
warfighting domain [2]. The US Navy has initiated the
Electromagnetic Maneuver Warfare (EMW) concept [3].
EMW must be enabled by Advanced Technologies that are
capable of RF-agility over a very wide bandwidth, adaptable
waveforms, and for many missions high power. Technologies
are under development that will provide all the key elements
required to enable EMW. The most important technology
development is the AESA. An EW AESA is very different
from any existing radar or communication AESA. Radar
arrays have much lower frequency bandwidth requirements.
They usually only need to be single polarization: vertical or
horizontal. And do not require 100% transmit duty cycle. The
duty cycle reduces the average power output and therefore
reduces the prime power and thermal management
requirement. Communication systems do require dual
polarization; however, the array usually requires less power
output. The transmit and receive functions can also be
separated into two antennas; one for transmit and one for
receive. The wide bandwith and dual polarization requirement
of an EW system stresses aperture design as well as the
mechanical and thermal density of the T/R module elements.
One of the key enabling technologies is the development of the
GaN power amplifier for it's high power and efficiency. The
dual polarization is essential because the EW system must
match the polarization of whatever system it is encountering.
Having dual orthogonal radiating elements enables a system to
become polarization selectable.
The other key technology is the receiver/exciter. This is the
heart and brains of the system. With the tremendous flexability
and adaptability required, the receiver/exciter must be
programmable and have enormous throughput. The function
of the receiver/exciter is to complement the RF front end with
the ability to receive, to process and to transmit any signal of
interest (SOI). The receiver/exciter must be capable of
processing waveforms for Electronic Support (ES), Electronic
Protection (EP), Electronic Attack (EA), & Communications
Waveforms. Frequency selection, bandwidth adaptation,
detection and demodulation are required. In addition to all the
processing capabilities customers usually require that the
processor be a Modular Open Scalable Architecture (MOSA).
The IADS mission is just one of many EW missions, but it
adequately depicts the rationale for the enhanced technology
requirements of EW over traditional radar and communications
systems.
III. FIRST FLIGHT SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
A photograph of the "First Flight" Pod is shown in Figure 2
being mounted on a Gulfstream-III aircraft, under contract with
Calspan Aerospace. The pod is securely seated on a low
profile carrier that is wheeled in place under the MAU-40
mounting pylon under the G-III. The interface cables are
connected; then the pod is raised in place and securely
mounted to the pylon. The installation is quick and
uncomplicated. There are four electrical cables that provide
the electrical interface: the signals contain RF, digital control,
data, and voltages.
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Fig. 2. "First Flight" Pod being loaded onto the Gulfstream-III test bed.
The pod is an aluminum structure with a wideband radome
in the front and rear of the pod. Both radomes are identical.
The equipment internal to the pod includes the AESA (located
in the forward radome), the array power supply (APS, located
just behind the AESA), a submerged Ram Air Turban-
Generator (RAT-G), a liquid cooling system (LCS), and an
instrumentation system. The AESA meets all of the
requirements mentioned above for EW missions. This array is
uniquely capable of operating full power continuous wave
(CW) (100% duty cycle) for transmit. It is also capable of
pulsed operation, switching very rapidly between transmit and
receive at any duty cycle.
The AESA is very wide band with active transmit-receive
(T/R) modules in tile configuration that contain efficient high-
power GaN amplifiers in the transmit path, and low-noise
amplifiers in the receive path. Both paths contain phase
shifters and gain control elements. The wideband array
enables the spectrum agility and access needed for Spectrum
Maneuver Warfare. The array is mounted on the front of the
pod. The dual-polarized aperture elements enable the system
polarization to be selectable. The array contains a digital
controller that communicates with the MFIRES software
defined receiver/exciter unit (SDREU) and sends digital signals
to each module setting up the parameters that control the
AESA beam (beam pointing angle, polarization, frequency,
etc.) [4].
The MFIRES SDREU, shown in Figure 3, is located in the
cabin. This configuration was most convenient for the First
Flight system. However, future demonstrations would likely
locate the MFIRES SDREU in the pod. Both the timing and
control and the RF signal are generated in the MFIRES
SDREU and sent to the array. The RF system is under the
control of the System Director operating one of the system
workstations. The System Director workstation receives the
navigation (NAV) data; computes the desired beam pointing
angle; and sends it to the AESA digital controller directly. The
beam steering information is applied to all the AESA modules
when the MFIRES SDREU triggers a beam change. The
timing and synchronization between the AESA and MFIRES
SDREU is very critical; and is a key requirement for the
successful operation of the EW RF system - they must operate
as one.
Fig. 3. The MFIRES software defined receiver/exciter unit represents the
heart of the EA RF System.

Figure 4 shows the First Flight operations center in the G-

III cabin; where there are 4 operator seats. The functions of the
4 seats are System Operator, Pod Operator, Test Director, and
RF signal monitor. The pod operator is responsible for
bringing up the power generation system after the G-III enters
the test range. The pod operator also has control of the liquid
cooling system and the instrumentation system. The
instrumentation system provides feedback status of all the pod
systems. The feedback provided for the servo operation of the
doors and the conditions of the power generation system is
critical for assurance that the system is working correctly and
all is safe. When the pod operator is satisfied the system is
ready for RF radiation, the System Operator brings up the RF
system. The system operator controls the RF system which
includes the AESA, the APS, and the MFIRES SDREU. It is
the system operator that selects the EW techniques to be
generated. The test director is responsible for conducting the
test and has a display of the target and aircraft location
overlaying the test range and the location of the emitters. He is
responsible for monitoring the flight path and communicating
with the aircraft operators and ground systems to determine
when radiation begins and the different techniques are to be
generated. The engineer in the RF signal monitor seat is
responsible for making sure the RF wave forms intended are
being generated and sent to the AESA in the pod.
Figure 5 shows the system Functional Block Diagram
describing the connectivity between all of the subsystems
discussed above. The Pod Operator work station connects to
the Speed Control Servo system via the Ethernet which
controls the door actuators and the power generation system.
The door control system adjusts the flow of the airstream to
maintain proper RAT-G speed and power generator output to
Fig. 4. View of G-III Cabin showing the 4 seats with computer monitors.
The MFIRES SDREU operates over the full AESA
operating bandwidth. It contains multi-channel up and down
converter cards, a general purpose computer, and signal
processing (SP) cards. The ADCs and DACs in the SPs are
high dynamic range and sample rate. Therefore the SP cards
operate via Direct Digital Synthesis (DDS). The SP cards
derive their signal processing power form the programmable
FPGAs and DSPs. The architecture of the MFIRES SDREU is
modular so that the number of receiver/exciter processing
channels is configurable for the application. This multi-
channel processor enables passive detection and tracking of
signals of interest (SOIs). It processes the data, selects the
frequencies, and provides the match filtering. The system then
generates the desired wave form that is sent to the AESA and is
radiated to the target. Since the AESA is electronically
steerable, the transmit energy is focused on target with
maximum Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP).
The Instrumentation unit collects the data from each
subsystem in the pod and sends it back to the pod operator
work station via the Ethernet. The instrumentation unit is
shown in Figure 6; it provides a wealth of data. Status of the
power generation, door control system, APS, and LCS are
displayed and monitored by the Pod Operator. Figure 6 also
shows one of the instrumentation displays. Vendor supplied
software collects and logs instrumentation data for post flight
analysis.
RF Subsystem

the Generator Control Unit (GCU). The GCU controls and

DC
Power Power
GCU RATG Air Stream
VGaN

limits the DC voltage to the APS. The APS converts the input AESA
APS Power Gen
power to all the different voltages and currents required by the Power
Digital Control,
Bias Voltages,
Sensors
Door
AESA. The Speed Control System also responds to the VGaAs

Sensor
Control
Fwd Doors Aft Doors
instantaneous power input required by the APS/AESA. The LCS
Sensors
s Instrumentation
Sensors Actuator Actuator

System Operator work station communicates and controls the Power

Ethernet
Control Control

MFIRES unit and the AESA via Ethernet connections; the Pod to Cabin Cabling
MFIRES in turn controls the AESA beam state triggering RF
Array
Control
Discretes

through the cabin to pod interface Speed Control

MFIRES Software Defined Power
Assembly
Receiver / Exciter Power Distribution Panel Power Servo Controls

Ethernet
Ethernet
Workstations
System Operator /Mission Director

Fig. 5. "First Flight" System Functional Block Diagram shows the

relationship between the subsystems. Pod hardware is located above the Pod
to Cabin Cabling. Cabin hardiware is located below.

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Fig. 6. System Instrumentation Unit located in the pod. The strip chart
showing accelerometer data, is an example of the monitoring capability for
the Pod Operator.
IV. FLIGHT TEST
The "First Flight" advanced jammer pod design and
development was intense, rapid and involved many different
Raytheon organizations. The completion of the integration and
test commenced on October 7, 2014 with the successful
Airworthiness flight that included mechanical checks, aircraft
handling and vibration monitoring (see Figure 6). With a
completely successful Airworthiness test, the final pod, cabin
equipment, and aircraft integration testing was completed. On
October 9, 2014 the ground based Electromagnetic
Interference/Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMI/EMI) and
Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) system checks were
successfully completed at the edge of a remote runway at our
operational airport.
Then on October 16, 2014, the Gulfstream III test bed
roared to life as it sped down the runway on its way to the test
range. The mission was to demonstrate successful system
integration, array transmit power, jamming techniques and
jammer management. This "First Flight," as it is now so
named, was 100% successful. High-G Productions was
contracted to photograph the "First Flight" mission. Figure 7 is
one of the photographs taken of the First Flight mission.
Fig. 7. The Raytheon "First Flight" of their prototype Electronic Warfare pod
flies mounted beneath a Calspan Gulfstream-III business jet. (Photo by Jim
Haseltine/High-G Productions).
A. Power Neasurements.
The first test was to measure the system EIRP. The flight
path is shown in Figure 8. Raytheon's Mobile Range (RMR),
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an RF power measurement system, was located at the edge of a
remote runway at our operational airport (approximately point
B on Figure 8). The system radiated RF power as the G-III
flew from point A to point B. With the range from G-III to
RMR taken into account, the pointing angle, beamshape loss,
and the RMR dB budget, it was determined that the expected
EIRP was being generated.
Fig. 8. Power Measurement. The First Flight system transmited CW to
Raytheons Mobile Range measurement system located at a remote runway,
approximately point B.
B. Electronic Attack (EA) Demonstration and Flight Test
against the first emitter.
The G-III then proceeded to the flight path shown in Figure
9. The view shed area that an aircraft flying at 20 Kft can be
seen by this emitter is somewhat limited because the
surrounding terrain. The G-III therefore needed to fly within a
tighter region. When other restrictions to the allowed flight
path are taken into account the flight pattern shown in Figure 9
is the result. The emitter is located just below the center of the
flight path. The system was in CW transmit mode only for this
test. More than a half dozen techniques were transmitted. The
best techniques, created completely white PPI displays.
C. EA Demonstration and Flight Test against the second
emitter.
The second emitter was better located and provides a much
larger view shed area. The flight path for this test is shown in
Figure 10. Both transmit and receive modes were utilized for
this test. The system was transmitting most of the time and
proved to be very effective.
Fig. 9. Transmit CW techniques vs the first emitter with 100% duty.

Fig. 10. Transmit techniques vs second emitter also included a receive mode.
The second emitter can perform with the operator choosing
any one of a number of selectable frequency pairs. The initial
flight test operated in receive only mode to verify that the First
Flight system was acquiring and tracking the emitter
waveform. The next test was the desired EA technique during
which the test director selected (via radio to the control center)
the frequency pair. The emitter operator would announce the
effect then the next frequency pair was requested until all
frequency pairs were completed. Every frequency pair resulted
in the announcement that the PPI displays were completely
"white." A white display means that the screen is full of
targets and the operator cannot find the real target (i.e., the G-
III). The final test instructed the emitter operator to manually
change frequency pairs at will as fast or slow as desired. Again
the PPI displays were called out to be white. The system was
rapidly detecting the emitter pulses at the new frequency and
tracking them. This test was repeated by adding noise to the
transmitted waveform. There was no change in the outcome;
the display was white in every case.
Figure 11 is a photograph of First Flight returning after a
completely successful EW demonstration. Backup flights were
planned with the expectation that further flight testing would
be required. However, team members met the next day and
after review of the data and accomplishments, the decision was
made that there was no need to fly a second mission.
Fig. 11. The flying test bed lands after completing its three hour flight test.
(Photo by Jim Haseltine/High-G Productions).
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D. Polarization Diversity Demonstration.
However, a need surfaced shortly thereafter to verify the
ability to transmit selectable polarizations. On the surface, this
was a difficult request because the AESA had not been
calibrated for polarizations other than Vertical and Horizontal.
In an effort to conserve time and cost only developments that
were necessary for the First Flight mission was conducted.
This did not include calibration for additional polarization
states to enable selectable polarization. There was no time or
funds to return the RF system to the anechoic chamber and
recalibrate the AESA.
Nevertheless, the team devised a way to analytically update
the beam calibration for the other polarizations shown in
Figure 12. On October 27, 2016, The G-III again took to the
sky to conduct the Polarization Diversity Demonstration.
Figure 13 shows the flight path over the test range. The
transmit polarization is held constant during a pass from point
A to point B. The RMR is located at a point on test range
where the received polarization data is measured and recorded.
Seven passes were flown to obtain the data in Figure 12. The
polarizations transmitted are linear with slant angles 0, 15, 30,
45, 60, 75, 90. During the aircraft flight, the AESA is steered
from +45 to -45 array pointing angle. The data was taken with
an Open Boundary Quad-Ridged Horn and a set of spectrum
analyzers.
Fig. 12. The system cycled through polarization states on each subsequent
pass.
Fig. 13. G-III flew in the path from A to B. Polarization measurement
equipment is located at a highpoint on the test range.
 V. SUMMARY
First Flight was enormously successful. All of the planned
EW missions were completed. Effective jamming of two
different emitter systems from the G-III shows the maturity of
the system in a relevant airborne environment. The pod
generated and controlled its own prime power from the air
stream under varying electrical loads. The test demonstrated
performance from an end-to-end integrated system. The AESA
utilized Raytheons Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology in a
high power, high gain, agile beam antenna. Both
Transmit/Receive jamming and transmit only jamming was
demonstrated through a single aperture. And most importantly,
synchronized timing and rapid switching between the MFIRES
SDREU and the AESA was demonstrated. The AESA beam
was dynamically steered and controlled in-flight. The First
Flight pod successfully demonstrated the submerged RAT-G
that exclusively provides the prime power to the complete RF
jamming system within the pod. And rapid reprogramability
was demonstrated with the Polarization Diversity flight test.
Future testing is anticipated to demonstrate the ability to
conduct both EA and Communications EA since the RF system
is designed to meet EW requirements for both radar and
communication systems. The First Flight system is capable of
Comm, and radar EW, enabling EA/Multifunction
convergence.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The rapid development and test demonstration of
Raytheons First Flight EW system was accomplished by a
dedicated team of engineers from many different sites across
the country. Key team members included: Nader Khatib
(Program Manager), George Barson, Dawson Bruckman, Steve
Carlsen, Jaron Charles, Nate Dailey, Mike Hicks, Adam Kuhl,
Curtis Pullen, Linda Glass-Torchia, Bob Stiefel, Janaky
Sundararaman, Yi Wang.
REFERENCES
[1] T. Brukiewa, Software Defined Receiver Exciter for Cross Domain
Countermeasures, 52nd Annual AOC International Symposium and
Convention, Synchronizing EW and Cyber to Achieve Spectrum
Dominance, December 3, 2015.
[2] A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower, March 2015.
[3] M. Palmieri, Navy Electromagnetic Maneuver Warfare, 44th Annual
AOC Symposium, April 2015.
[4] T. Brukiewa, Flight Tested Electronic Warfare System Demonstrating
Spectrum Maneuverability, Pt. Mugus 45th Annual Electronic Warfare
Symposium: Collaborative Electronic Warfare: Enabling Collaborative
EW Emergent Capabilities through Innovation and Invention, April 5,
2016.