BAE Systems awarded DARPA T-MUSIC contract

BAE Systems will develop new generation mixed-signal electronics capabilities under a contract from DARPA announced on 28 January.

The new capabilities could enable US Department of Defense (DoD) applications including high capacity, robust communications, radars and precision sensors, and lead to solutions that enhance situational awareness and survivability for US forces.

The contract will see BAE Systems' FAST Labs research and development team design and develop wafer-scale technology on a silicon foundry platform that can enable US-based production of next-generation DoD electronics.

DARPA’s Technologies for Mixed mode Ultra Scaled Integrated Circuits (T-MUSIC) programme aims to enable disruptive radio frequency (RF) mixed-mode technologies by developing high performance RF analogue electronics integrated with advanced digital electronics on the same wafer.

The next-generation capabilities that could be made possible with this programme include a combination of wide spectral coverage, high resolution, large dynamic range and high information processing bandwidth. These capabilities, which can cut through the electronic signal clutter, provide leap-forward performance that is mission critical as services rely on electronic sensors in highly congested environments. The new developments could be integrated into electronic warfare, communications, precision munitions and ISR platforms.

Chris Rappa, product line director for Radio Frequency, Electronic Warfare, and Advanced Electronics at BAE Systems' FAST Labs, said: ‘T-MUSIC will incorporate analogue and digital signals on a single chip for high-performance data converters and digital processing and intelligence.

‘The advanced electronics we are developing under the T-MUSIC programme could create the foundation for greatly enhanced DoD capabilities in advanced RF sensors and high capacity communications.’