SPX, Nashua NH: BAE Systems recently received a $6.6 million contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to design, develop and demonstrate technologies that support the Radio Frequency Guided Munitions (RFGM) program.
RFGM is planned as a passive, all-weather, and inexpensive precision Radio Frequency (RF) seeker for use on a number of different weapons. The system will be able to home in and destroy an enemy's radio communications or jamming device. The RFGM will be able to seek targets operating in a range from 30 megahertz to three gigahertz.
During the nine-month Phase 1 effort, BAE Systems' Information & Electronic Warfare Systems (IEWS) in Nashua, N.H., will design and develop the Radio Frequency antenna and receiver hardware, and signal processing software to detect, discriminate, and geolocate an RF emitter.
Aaron Penkacik, vice president of the company's Advanced Systems and Technology organization, said, “We have a world class team that brings together BAE Systems' experience in signal processing, inertial measurement units, and munitions know-how to address this critical war fighter need.”
The BAE Systems team includes Draper Laboratories and BAE Systems Land Systems.
At the end of Phase 1, BAE Systems will test and demonstrate the system's performance against multiple emitter types.
DARPA's goal is to demonstrate that an 81mm mortar round is capable of receiving RF communications signals, determining the location of the emitter, and maneuvering in flight to impact near the target emitter.
