Cassidian has announced that it has developed a new generation of transmit and receive modules (TRM) which give the new Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars with electronic beam scanning enhanced performance capabilities. According to the company, the new modules enable the multi-mode and multi-tasking capabilities of AESA antennas to be enhanced on a sustained basis while also reducing production costs.
In contrast to conventional systems, radars based on AESA technology can perform several tasks practically simultaneously. The transmitting energy is generated directly in the antenna, namely in a multitude of TRM, instead of in a delicate central transmitter.
Cassidian now has completed the basic development of a new generation of TRM, which have gained environmental qualification to IEC 60748. This will pave the way for using these high-tech components in particularly demanding applications in the aerospace sector. Cassidian plans to optimise the industrial production of these modules using a standard design based on a modular principle.
According to the company, the new technology offers multiple operational advantages, and may enable AESA radars to be used in many fields of reconnaissance and surveillance in future. The Cassidian products using the new TRM include the Eurofighter’s future e-scan radar, the security radars in the Spexer family as well as spaceborne earth observation radars.