Military Embedded Systems

Handheld tactical sensor developed to detect RF signals for DARPA program

News

September 28, 2016

Mariana Iriarte

Technology Editor

Military Embedded Systems

Handheld tactical sensor developed to detect RF signals for DARPA program
Photo by BAE Systems

Merrimack, N.H. BAE Systems engineers developed a handheld tactical sensor that soldiers can use to understand radio frequency (RF) signals for enhanced situational awareness.

The handheld device was created through a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract for the agency’s Computational Leverage Against Surveillance Systems (CLASS) program and the Cognitive radio Low-energy signal Analysis Sensor ICs (CLASIC) program. The handheld electronic warfare (EW) technology can detect and identify multiple interfering signals, such as jammers or communication signals.

Officials explain the handheld EW capability improves on today’s portable spectrum analyzers. BAE Systems engineers were able to reduce the time and computing power needed to detect signals by using signal processing algorithms. The handheld device has undergone field testing and was able to detect and identify more than 10 signal types in the presence of interference.

As this technology continues to mature, BAE System officials expect to eventually deploy this technology within its EW, signal intelligence (SIGINT), and tactical communications portfolio.

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