Air Force issues RFI for electronic warfare technology

WIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- The U.S. Air Force has issued a Request for Information for a near to midterm technological road map for development of electronic warfare receiver systems.

The Air Force Research Laboratory and Air Force Life Cycle Management Center will use the information received from industry to identify potential technology investment and maturation efforts needed to develop next-generation receiver technology to address current and future radar agile threat waveforms.

Threats of concern include adaptive/interleaved multi-mode waveforms based on engagement scenarios; use of active electronically scanning array; wide radio frequency operating bandwidths; and variable pulse widths with coded modulations.

"Based on U.S. and foreign radar weapon system developments, the USAF EW community has become increasingly concerned about the current state of practice of EW receiver's ability to address radar waveform agility advancements and the complex electromagnetic operating environment that are part of the modern battlefield."

"This RFI is being released to help the Air Force assess industry thinking on future EW receiver concepts and to determine the availability of technologies required to address the current and future agile radar threats that are becoming part of the modern electromagnetic operating environment."

Information desired is in both the hardware and software areas and should include cost and risk assessment, the Air Force said.