Devices Enable High-Speed Feedback from Networked Weapons

  • Published
  • By Heyward Burnett
  • Materials and Manufacturing
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  The Air Force Research Lab has completed the Affordable Weapons Datalink Insertion (AWDI) program for the development of production-grade Gallium Nitride-on-Silicon (GaN-on-SiC) monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs). The program is a joint effort between Rockwell Collins, Nirtronex Corporation, and AFRL. It has been a key enabler for Air Force/Navy development of a networked weapons capability in which high-speed weapons datalinks provide feedback between weapons, real-time mission analysis, and targeting.

This technology has lowered overall datalink system acquisition costs and enabled early transition of current datalink programs such as the Multifunction Information Distribution System-Joint Tactical Radio System and the Ground Mobile Radio. During the AWDI program, yields for small MMIC devices have increased from less than 25 percent to greater than 95 percent.

The 41-month, $5.1 M program was aimed at improving technology critical to weapons datalink operation. Weapons datalinks operate in environments that require higher power over large bandwidths to maximize the amount of data transmission over the maximum possible distance

Three core capabilities were established regarding GaN-on-SiC MMIC reliability: Quarterly monitoring of baseline process reliability; pulsed reliability testing and radio frequency (RF) degradation; and MMIC RF testing capability and assessments. In addition, the AWDI team made significant strides in manufacturing readiness. Ultimately, the AWDI program approach led to the maturation of low-cost, wide-bandgap GaN-on-SiC MMIC foundry processes to develop Size, Weight and Power Cost (SWaP-C) chip sets for small form-factor (SFF) datalinks to enable higher gain and output power across a broader frequency range than that of existing technologies. Success of the program is already having an impact on several Department of Defense systems.

A Technology Readiness Level 9 has been achieved through extensive field testing of the devices, including in-theater operation; incorporation of GaN-on-SiC MMIC designs for tactical communication transceivers is continuing. Development of system-on-a-chip silicon applications and GaN-on-SiC is enabling further circuitry consolidation.