ECM system test aided by software upgrade

Creating realistic multi-emitter scenarios is a complex challenge that involves correctly interleaving multiple pulse trains as well as identifying, counting and prioritising pulse collisions. Managing all these parameters manually can be a daunting task. With the MESG capability, Signal Studio simplifies threat interleaving for ECM system test applications such as sorting and identification, subsystem interface management and threat correlation.

A graphical user interface allows test engineers to easily configure radar parameters such as frequency, amplitude and pulse width, and then interleave multiple radar emitters. This includes the ability to combine radars into scenarios using dropped-pulse reports to optimise pulse density. Engineers also can reduce pulse collisions by changing emitter start times, priorities and pulse-repetition intervals, by toggling emitters on and off, and by adding more UXG signal generators to the simulation.

Engineers can download the multi-emitter scenarios, created in Signal Studio, directly to one or more UXGs as pulse descriptor word (PDW) lists. The UXG provides phase-coherent frequency and amplitude transitions as fast as 180 ns, timing resolution of 2 ns, and spurious-free dynamic range of -70 dBc.

Off the shelf, the UXG is a powerful building block that engineers can use as either a dependable local oscillator or a scalable threat simulator. Its capabilities enable aerospace/defence engineers to generate increasingly complex simulations that get closer to reality for increased confidence in ECM system performance.