4kW X-Band GaN Power Amplifier And Receiver Protector For Radar Applications

By George Solomon, Dave Riffelmacher, Jay Conway, Mike Tracy, Jen Moore, Matt Kirkham, and Tony Andreucci, Communications and Power Industries LLC, Beverly Microwave Division

GaN Solid State transistors are utilized in many radar platforms and provide compact and efficient sources of microwave power. CPI has developed a 4 kW X-band SSPA, CPI model VSX3717, for radar applications.

The VSX3717 SSPA combines the power from four VSX3716 SSPAs, which each operate at nominally 1.5 kW, saturated. This paper will present details of the SSPA amplifier and receiver protector used for airborne radar applications.