Industry’s first OpenRFM-based wideband EW tuner introduced by Mercury Systems

Mercury Systems, Inc., a Chelmsford, MA-based high-tech commercial provider of more affordable secure and sensor processing subsystems powering today’s critical defense and intelligence applications, announced on May 18 the Ensemble^® RFM-1RS18 tuner. This fast-tuning wideband device is the first tuner in the embedded industry to be developed using OpenRFM^™ system building blocks, affordably delivering comprehensive electromagnetic spectrum coverage for electronic warfare (EW) applications.

Introduced by Mercury in August 2014, OpenRFM was developed to solve the challenges of digital and RF/microwave convergence, spectrum-fusion and maneuverability, complementary system interoperability, and affordability. OpenRFM uses a modular, open-architecture approach, standardizing the electromechanical, software, control plane and thermal interfaces used by integrated microwave assemblies to streamline the design, integration, and testing of RF and digital capabilities within sensor processing systems. OpenRFM design principles are compatible with prevailing embedded computing industry standards, including 3U and 6U form factor OpenVPX^™ and VXS/VME for EW and Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) applications.

“OpenRFM’s interoperable RF/microwave and digital building blocks enable sensor processing subsystems to be developed and deployed more quickly,” said Charlie Hudnall, General Manager of Mercury’s Embedded Sensor Products group. “The leverage of proven IP and best available commercial-item technology means that OpenRFM-based solutions have high technology readiness levels and greater interoperability, making subsystem integration smoother and solutions more robust. Additionally, the modularity of OpenRFM building blocks enables them to be quickly deployed in a wide variety of configurations across multiple programs and applications, which further drives interoperability and affordability. These features allow system integrators to quickly configure affordable open systems-architecture-based solutions to complex EW challenges.”

The Ensemble RFM-1RS18 tuner integrates three rugged OpenRFM modules into a single-width, 6U VXS package. Each package is comprised of a wideband front-end tuner spanning a range of 0.5 to 18.0 GHz, a quad-converter that delivers four IF outputs and a synthesizer to ensure coherent outputs from the converter. Each tuner combines a high-channel density, derived from OpenRFM’s three modules per slot approach with wide, near-instantaneous bandwidth capability, ultra-fast tuning speed, and low-phase noise performance all within a low-SWaP package.

Source: Mercury Systems, Inc.