Affordable AESA for Multi-function Seeker

OUSD (R&E) CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Integrated Sensing and Cyber; Microelectronics The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services, including export of sensitive technical data, or the Export Administration Regulation (EAR), 15 CFR Parts 730-774, which controls dual use items. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals (FNs), their country(ies) of origin, the type of visa or work permit possessed, and the statement of work (SOW) tasks intended for accomplishment by the FN(s) in accordance with the Announcement. Offerors are advised foreign nationals proposed to perform on this topic may be restricted due to the technical data under US Export Control Laws. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this effort is to enhance the manufacturability and reduce the unit cost of scalable AESA front-end RF electronics apertures for SWAP-constrained munitions platforms and other small unmanned airborne platforms. DESCRIPTION: Seekers for evolving weapon platforms require affordable wide-band front-end RF electronics to enable long-range, all-weather, GPS-denied precision strike. This topic will address this need by developing and maturing an affordable, scalable AESA front-end for SWaP-constrained munitions platforms. Critically, the effort should address improvements in manufacturability, reliability, testability, producibility, and maintainability aspects of the AESA design that are key drivers for overall component affordability. To achieve these goals, it is expected that the proposer will have significant previous design, engineering, and development experience with AESA front-end apertures and, likely, an existing basic AESA design consistent with application to munitions platforms. The ultimate end-product of this effort will be a functional prototype AESA front-end that has been tested and demonstrated in a realistic laboratory environment. The effort must include DFx analyses (e.g., design for manufacturability, design for reliability, design for testability, design for producibility, design for maintainability, design for cost, etc.) that support the cost objective. PHASE I: As this is a Direct-to-Phase-II (D2P2) topic, no Phase I awards will be made as a result of this topic. To qualify for this D2P2 topic, the Government expects the applicant(s) to demonstrate feasibility by means of a prior Phase I-type effort that does not constitute work undertaken as part of a prior or ongoing SBIR/STTR funding agreement. Applicant(s) will demonstrate feasibility be describing previous design, engineering, and development experience with AESA front-end RF electronics apertures for SWAP and cost constrained tactical airborne platforms. PHASE II: With a keen focus on design-for-affordability and manufacturability, the awardee(s) will develop, refine, and prototype a high-performance, wideband AESA and front-end electronics solution using next-gen beam-forming integrated circuits. The targeted unit volume production cost is $15,000. The awardee(s) will demonstrate performance by integrating with back-end support electronics to create a functional RF system prototype and conduct laboratory testing. The awardee(s) will also perform Design For (X) (DFx) to ensure the design is ready for transitioning to targeted tactical airborne platforms; including volume manufacturing, reliability, testability, cost-effectiveness, quality, and maintainability efforts, with the results folded into the final design. PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Phase III will focus on productization of the system developed during the Phase II. AFLCMC/EBDA has expressed interest in funding Phase III maturation of this technology in response to ACC requirements. REFERENCES: Active Electronically Scanned Arrays: Fundamentals and Applications, Brown, Arik, D., IEEE Press, 2021. Phased Array Antenna Handbook, 3rd Ed., Mailloux, Robert, J., Artech House, 2017. Beam Steering and Beam Stabilization of Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Seeker for Missile Guidance, Patel, Vikas and Madhukar, H. 2021 International Conference on Control, Automation, Power, and Signal Processing (CAPS), IEEE, Dec 2021.; KEYWORDS: Active electronically scanned array; AESA; tightly coupled dipole array; stand-off attack munition; wideband array; beamforming integrated circuits; system-in package