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IMS2022



ARTICLE | JUNE 29, 2022




3 LEADING DEFENSE MARKETS FOR SDR SYSTEMS



By Brendon McHugh, Field Application Engineer & Technical Writer, Per Vices

Modern defense systems use advanced RF and signal processing technologies to
acquire and process huge volumes of data at high speeds. Software defined radio
(SDR) technology is revolutionizing how RF systems for use in mission critical
defense systems are implemented. Defense systems benefiting from SDR technology
include radar systems, spectrum monitoring and recording systems, signals
intelligence (SIGINT) systems, and electronic warfare (EW) systems.

This article explores how SDR systems are integrated into various defense
systems including spectrum monitoring applications, SIGINT, and EW. It also
discusses the specifications that are critical for these applications and
explains how SDR technology benefits these defense systems and the various
implementation challenges that they help to overcome.

Overview of SDR Systems

The SDR paradigm replaces hardware-based components, such as modulators, coders,
and equalizers, with software-based components that run on general-purpose
computing devices or field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). SDR platforms come
in a variety of sizes and complexity levels. Small, low-power SDR platforms find
applications in sensors and actuators of embedded systems, such as drones. On
the other hand, complex Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) SDRs that offer
high data throughputs and high sample rates are used in performance-demanding
applications such as spectrum monitoring and recording. Figure 1 shows a
high-level overview of a high performance SDR system.



Figure 1: A high level overview of a high performance SDR system featuring five
modular boards, which is suitable for complex applications that demand high
performance. (Source: Per Vices – based off of Crimson TNG and Cyan SDR)



The radio frontend (RFE) of an SDR system comprises one or more transmit (Tx)
and receive (Rx) channels, each of which offers a wide tuning range, typically
tens of gigahertz. Rx chains have various components including a low noise
amplifier (LNA), attenuator, anti-aliasing filters, IQ downconverters, and
analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). Tx chains feature many components including
anti-imaging filters, RF gain blocks, local oscillator (LO), IQ upconverters,
and digital-to-analog converters (DACs). The mixed signal interface features
DACs for the transmit chains and ADCs for the receive chains. Most high
performance SDR systems feature completely independent Rx and Tx chains.

High performance SDR platforms feature an FPGA with a broad array of on-board
digital signal processing (DSP) capabilities including data packetization over
Ethernet links, upconverting, downconverting, modulation, and demodulation.
These capabilities allow implementation of advanced systems with low latency
performance. The FPGAs also allow implementation of application-specific
functions, such as security schemes, channelization algorithms, and artificial
intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms. Furthermore, these FPGAs
are capable of performing communication between the SDR system and the host or
network, packetizing data, and transporting it over SFP+/qSFP+ communication
links at transmission rates of 10-100 Gbps. The host system is connected via the
SDR's Ethernet and MGMT ports and is used for various functions including
configuring and controlling the SDR, and sending, receiving, capturing, and
monitoring raw IQ data.

The architecture of SDR platforms makes them suitable for a broad array of
applications. Here we discuss some defense applications and how the
specifications of SDR platforms benefit them.

1. Spectrum Monitoring And Recording

Spectrum monitoring is a critical part of spectrum management and entails
monitoring, recording, and analyzing a portion of the spectrum. It helps to
detect and identify various problems and is usually the first step in mitigating
various types of signal attacks. Spectrum monitoring also helps to assess
spectrum availability and is commonly incorporated in SIGINT applications to
enable analysis of transmission patterns, characterization of signals and
emissions, detection of illicit transmission, and management of regulated
spectrum.

Some of the SDR specifications that are critical for spectrum monitoring and
recording applications include instantaneous bandwidth, MIMO channels, and
sensitivity of the RFE. The instantaneous bandwidth of an instrument is mainly
determined by its filters, sampling rate, and the bandwidth of the ADC. Highest
bandwidth SDR systems offer wide instantaneous bandwidth, typically 1-3 GHz.
Moreover, MIMO channels of an SDR system enable a single device to be connected
to multiple antennas to cover an even wider frequency bandwidth. The high
sensitivity of the RFEs used in SDR systems enables detection of weak signals
and helps to avoid intermodulation products generated by high-amplitude carriers
within these bands.

Capturing wideband signals and recording them demands a host system with high
data transfer capability and sufficient storage capacity. Since large amounts of
data are captured during spectrum monitoring, an efficient and fast data
transfer is required. Excellent performance is achieved by selecting an SDR that
can support packetization of data into 100 Gbps Ethernet and a host with FPGA
accelerated network interface cards (NICs), huge amounts of RAM, powerful CPU,
and RAID configuration.

SDRs offer a broad range of benefits to spectrum monitoring and recording
applications. Compared to traditional instruments that utilize dedicated
hardware-based components that are difficult to upgrade, SDR systems employ
flexible components that can be updated or upgraded easily and quickly. The high
flexibility of SDR systems also ensures adjustable wideband operation,
adjustable sample rates, extendable channel counts, and ultrafast retunability.

Further benefits of using an SDR include optimizing the RFE to meet the specific
needs of an application. For instance, the specific sensitivity of each radio
chain can be enhanced by using highly linear low noise amplifiers (LNAs). The
ruggedness of a system can also be enhanced to make it suitable for use in harsh
environments.

Traditional spectrum monitoring instruments tend to have low probability of
intercept (POI) since they scan for offending signals by sweeping from the
minimum to the maximum frequency. In comparison, SDR-based monitoring
instruments can continuously monitor the spectrum for frequencies within their
specified range. This approach offers a higher POI and is suitable for capturing
signals with short duration.

2. SIGINT

SIGINT is closely related to spectrum monitoring and recording and entails
analyzing and post-processing captured signals with the aim of gathering
intelligence. It has two key sub-disciplines: Communications Intelligence
(COMINT) and Electronic Intelligence (ELINT). COMINT entails intercepting
communication between people while ELINT entails intercepting electronic signals
which are used for non-human communication purposes. The gathered intelligence
is vital in characterizing the actions, intentions, and capabilities of foreign
adversaries.

Today's battlefields are dominated by RF systems, and the capability to gather
intelligence from the electromagnetic spectrum can make a huge difference in
determining battlefield outcomes. SIGINT enables the location of the source of
enemy signals to be identified, thereby giving its user a competitive advantage.

SDR instruments for use in SIGINT should be capable of capturing various RF
emitter characteristics including amplitude, power, Direction of Arrival (DOA),
and Angle of Arrival (AOA) — key characteristics in applications involving MIMO
antennas. Other characteristics include Time of Arrival (TOA), pulse width,
pulse repetition interval (PRI), PRI type, symbol rate, scan type, scan rate,
and lobe duration. They should also be capable of measuring additional
parameters including intra-pulse and inter-pulse frequency modulation, PRI
modulation characteristics, continuous waves (CW), and various missile guidance
characteristics.

Instruments for use in SIGINT must have exceptional geolocation accuracy. With
MIMO antenna arrays, SDR systems can determine the location of an RF emitter by
exploiting various techniques, such as Phase Difference of Arrival (PDOA) and
AOA. Figure 2 shows a three-dimensional view of a Time Difference of Arrival
(TDOA) system with four receivers.

Most defense systems have strict time requirements and demand instruments that
can deliver precise time keeping. SDR instruments can stamp data packets with
VITA 49 time stamps and synchronize them to UTC to ensure high measurement
accuracy. Furthermore, SDR with FPGA resources are preferred for SIGINT
applications since custom DSP algorithms can be implemented on FPGAs.



Figure 2: 3D view of a TDOA with four receivers, where R1...R4 is the distance
between the target (i.e. airplane) and receiver S1...S4.



There are many benefits of integrating SDR platforms into SIGINT systems. SDRs
enable execution over-the-air as well as remote reprogramming. These
capabilities help to cut the time and costs linked to operating and maintaining
the instruments. The high sensitivity of the RFEs used in SDRs makes them
capable of monitoring signals emitted by low power military systems in congested
co-channel environments and zero in on the signal of interest.

By using an SDR system and open source platforms, such as GNU Radio and GNU
Octave, it is possible to perform various signal processing operations. These
open source platforms offer a variety of features for signal analysis including
constellation plots, waterfall plots, and so on. Raw IQ data suffers degradation
and processing operations are required to correct them. These impairments are
usually caused by carrier frequency and phase offsets, multipath fading, various
sources of noise, and IQ imbalance.

3. Electronic Warfare (EW)

Electronic warfare is closely related to SIGINT and consists of three main
sub-disciplines: electronic attack (EA), electronic protection (EP), and
electronic warfare support (EWS). These functions are performed from land, sea,
air, space, and cyberspace by manned, unmanned, and unattended systems.

EA offensives are carried out in various ways including jamming enemy
communication and command and control systems; confusing enemy surveillance,
intelligence, and reconnaissance systems by using electronic deception; and
disabling enemy systems by using directed-energy weapons.

EP entails applying various techniques to protect systems against EA offensives
by an enemy. These tactics include employing anti-jamming technologies,
deconfliction of spectrum resources, and careful planning and management of
spectrum resources to prevent interference during an attack operation.

RF systems for use in EW must have fast retuning time to ensure fast sweeping
and MIMO channels in order to handle multiple antennas required for jamming
enemy systems. Furthermore, EW systems should be capable of operating over a
narrow or wide frequency band and measuring pulses with high accuracy. In
addition, they are required to have a high dynamic range and excellent
interference rejection capability.

Channel and spectrum masking are critical EP operations and entail using
controlled energy on friendly spectrum resources in a manner that protects
signals emitted by friendly systems against enemy's monitoring and signal
intelligence systems. This radiation should not significantly interfere with the
operations of friendly communication and electronic systems.

Jamming is a critical EA operation, and systems for use in EW are required to
have FPGA resources capable of generating jamming signals. Both noise jamming
and deception jamming are commonly used in battlefields. Noise jamming entails
generating a noisy signal, modulating it, and transmitting it at the enemy radar
frequency. Saturating the enemy receiver with high power level noise signals
makes it difficult for it to acquire accurate range, azimuth, and elevation
information. In the case of deception jamming, complex circuits are employed to
process and re-transmit jamming signals in a manner that confuses the victim
radar to think that a false target is a real target. This jammer alters the
signal received from the enemy radar to provide it with false information.
Figure 3 shows a simplified illustration of a deceptive jamming system.

EA systems are also required to have FPGA resources to support advanced signal
processing techniques, such as digital beamforming. The beamforming technique
allows RF energy to be directed to a target during a jamming operation.



Figure 3: A deceptive jamming system.



There are many benefits of integrating SDRs into EW systems. To start with, SDR
platforms come in a variety of sizes making it easy to deploy them in a wide
range of defense systems.

SDR systems are capable of performing multiple functions, and a single unit can
be used as a missile warning system, counter UAS system, airborne chaff
countermeasures system, and direction finding system.

In addition, SDR platforms can be easily customized to meet military
specifications. Compared to traditional EW instruments, the reconfigurability of
SDR systems allows updates and upgrades to be implemented faster and at a lower
cost.

About The Author

Brendon McHugh is a field application engineer and technical writer at Per Vices
Corporation. Brendon is responsible for assisting current and prospective
clients in configuring the right SDR solutions for their unique needs and
possesses a degree in theoretical and mathematical physics from the University
of Toronto. Per Vices has extensive experience in developing, building, and
integrating high performance software defined radios for defense and electronic
warfare applications. Brendon can be reached at solutions@pervices.com.








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