Rockwell Collins wins DARPA program to overcome software defined radio technology challenges

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Rockwell Collins has been awarded a three-year contract up to $3.1 million from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop technology that will dramatically reduce the size, weight, power and cost (SWAP-C) of software defined radios.

“Current software defined radios provide military customers with faster, more robust communication because they operate over wide frequency bandwidths. However, there remains a strong need to reduce SWAP-C,” said John Borghese, vice president, Advanced Technology Center for Rockwell Collins. “Working hand-in-hand with DARPA, we’ll be developing and demonstrating a new transmitter that overcomes one of the most prevalent technology challenges – the need to assure a spectrally compliant signal is being transmitted over the airways.”

Borghese stated, “Current designs use filtering to prevent unwanted signals, but it comes at the expense of a larger, more expensive and power consuming transmitter. The new transmitter being developed by Rockwell Collins will prevent unwanted harmonics from occurring in the first place.”

Rockwell Collins will be using a circuit topology that depends on Diverse Accessible Heterogeneous Integration (DAHI) Foundry Technology to achieve the high levels of integration necessary for harmonic cancellation. Using this technique, Rockwell Collins will build a circuit that is very small, yet still provides high power and broadband operation.

About Rockwell Collins
Rockwell Collins (NYSE: COL) is a pioneer in the development and deployment of innovative communication and aviation electronic solutions for both commercial and government applications. Our expertise in flight deck avionics, cabin electronics, mission communications, information management, and simulation and training is delivered by 19,000 employees, and a global service and support network that crosses 27 countries. To find out more, please visit www.rockwellcollins.com.