HYPRES To Develop Digital RF Electronics For U.S. Army MILSATCOM Project

Elmsford, NY -- HYPRES Inc. received two new contracts totaling approximately $1.5 million from the U.S. Army's Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC) for work related to the continued development of digital superconductivity electronics for military satellite communications (MILSATCOM).

Under a Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase II contract valued at $730,000, HYPRES will develop an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) capable of directly digitizing Ka/EHF band RF signals. The ADC, based on HYPRES' proven digital superconductivity technology, will be designed to digitize a 20 GHz microwave signal with a maximum bandwidth of 1 GHz. The ADC is being developed as part of an Army effort to replace multiple analog mixers, filters and amplifiers with lower noise, programmable digital components.

In another SBIR Phase II contract valued at $730,000, HYPRES will implement a hybrid technology digital receiver comprised of digital superconductor electronics and commercial FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays). As part of this effort, a high-speed digital interface will be designed to connect the company's multi-gigahertz receiver — which features low-complexity digital superconductivity electronics with the latest conventional room temperature signal processing electronics. Development of this interface is critical to making X- and K-band MILSATCOM receivers capable of taking full advantage of the superior sensitivity, linearity, low jitter, and ultra fast clock rates provided by the digital superconductor components.

"The Ka/EHF band ADC is key to reducing system acquisition and logistic support cost through the elimination of expensive analog components — which will result in significant life-cycle cost savings in future MILSATCOM systems," said Oleg Mukhanov, Ph.D., HYPRES vice president and general manager. "In addition, our low-noise receivers will improve satellite link margins by up to 6 decibels. The result will be much higher data rates, larger bandwidths, smaller antennas, and improved power efficiency for earth terminals and satellites."

The digital interface that HYPRES is developing will allow the performance gains realized through digital superconductivity to be fully utilized by the signal processing stage of the MILSATCOM system.

In addition to the Army, HYPRES also is working closely with the Air Force and Navy on developing digital superconductivity for wireless communications and systems used for the software radio, signal intelligence, electronic warfare, and radar.

SOURCE: HYPRES, Inc.