RFSoC for Electronic Warfare Systems
Electronic Warfare (EW) systems are evolving rapidly in response to increasingly congested and contested electromagnetic environments. Modern radar systems employ agile waveforms, low probability of intercept (LPI) techniques, wide instantaneous bandwidths, and complex modulation schemes. In parallel, defense platforms demand reduced Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP), faster response times, ruggedized hardware, and field-reconfigurable architectures.
Traditional multi-board signal chain designs are increasingly challenged by these requirements. Integrated RFSoC-based architectures for Electronic Warfare architectures are emerging as a powerful alternative enabling wideband signal acquisition, deterministic processing, and coherent signal generation within a single adaptive device.
Challenge in Modern Electronic Warfare (EW) Systems Architectures
Conventional EW architectures typically consist of:
- Discrete high-speed ADCs and DACs
- FPGA or DSP processing devices
- External RF front ends
- Separate control processors
- Multi-board interconnects
While functional, these architectures introduce latency, synchronization complexity, power overhead, and calibration challenges. As threat environments demand faster detection-to-response cycles, latency across multiple devices becomes a critical limitation.
Modern EW systems increasingly require:
- Multi-GSPS data conversion
- Large instantaneous bandwidth
- Real-time spectral analysis
- Deterministic processing pipelines
- Phase-coherent multi-channel operation
- Extended temperature and ruggedized operation
These requirements are pushing designers toward more tightly integrated and defense-qualified solutions.
RFSoC Architecture for Electronic Warfare
The Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC FPGA from AMD integrates high-speed RF data converters, programmable logic, multi-core ARM processing, and high-speed transceivers into a single adaptive SoC.
This heterogeneous architecture enables:
- Direct RF sampling with optional multi-GSPS ADCs and DACs
- Parallel DSP pipelines in programmable logic
- Deterministic low-latency signal paths
- Real-time control and higher-level processing via embedded ARM cores
High-speed connectivity through multi-gigabit transceivers
By collapsing multiple signal chain components into one device, RFSoC significantly reduces board count, improves synchronization, and lowers SWaP – key advantages for airborne, naval, and ground-based EW platforms.
For detailed information about RFSoC architecture and iWave SoMs, please read:
Unleashing RF Innovation: RFSoC and iWave SOM in Action
RFSoC System on Module for Satellite Communication and Aerospace
Military-Grade RFSoC for Harsh Environments
Electronic Warfare systems deployed in aerospace and defense platforms require more than performance, they demand reliability under extreme environmental conditions.
The defense-grade Zynq UltraScale+ XQ RFSoC variants are specifically designed for Aerospace & Defense applications. These devices offer:
- Ruggedized packaging
- Extended temperature range operation from –55°C to +125°C
- High-speed 4 GSPS ADCs and 6.4 GSPS DACs (optional configurations)
- 28 Gb/s transceivers
- Quad-core Arm Cortex-A53 and dual-core Cortex-R5 processors
- Optional 256-bit Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) for device-level security
These features enable system designers to meet stringent military reliability standards while maintaining the flexibility of programmable logic and heterogeneous compute.
For EW applications deployed in high-altitude aircraft, UAVs, naval vessels, or ground-based tactical systems, XQ RFSoC devices provide the robustness required for mission-critical operations.
RFSoC in Key Electronic Warfare Applications
Radar Warning Receiver (RWR): Radar Warning Receivers must continuously monitor wide swaths of spectrum to detect and classify radar emissions in real time. Performance requirements include:
- Wide instantaneous bandwidth
- Fast pulse detection and time-of-arrival measurement
- PRI and frequency analysis
- Threat library correlation
RFSoC-based architectures enable direct wideband RF sampling, with programmable logic implementing channelization, pulse detection, and feature extraction pipelines in parallel. Embedded processors manage classification algorithms and system control.
The tightly integrated architecture improves responsiveness and reduces detection latency critical in modern threat environments.
- DRFM-Based Jammer: Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) systems capture incoming radar signals, digitally manipulate them, and retransmit coherent deceptive signals.
Critical design parameters include:
- Minimal ADC-to-DAC latency
- High phase coherence
- Wideband replay capability
- Multi-channel synchronization
RFSoC devices integrate ADCs, FPGA fabric, and DACs on the same silicon, significantly reducing latency compared to discrete architectures. Programmable logic enables real-time waveform manipulation including delay insertion, Doppler shifts, amplitude scaling, and false target generation.
For military-grade implementations, XQ RFSoC variants provide the environmental resilience needed for airborne and tactical jamming platforms.
- SIGINT / ELINT Receiver Systems: SIGINT and ELINT systems require persistent spectrum surveillance and advanced signal characterization.
Key capabilities include:
- Wideband spectrum capture
- Real-time FFT and digital downconversion
- Protocol and emitter identification
- Multi-channel scaling
RFSoC architectures support massive parallel DSP processing while embedded processors handle metadata tagging, control, and secure communication. High-speed transceivers enable data streaming to mission computers or storage subsystems.
When deployed in defense environments, XQ variants ensure stable operation across extreme temperatures and demanding operational profiles.
Benefits of RFSoC for Defense Systems
iWave enabling RFSoC System on Module based EW Platforms
For defense integrators developing Electronic Warfare systems, hardware bring-up time and high-speed design complexity can impact program schedules. At iWave, we offer RFSoC-based System on Modules and development platforms built around the Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC family, including support for defense-oriented applications. These modules integrate high-speed memory, power management, and high-bandwidth I/O into compact, production-ready hardware.
By leveraging validated RFSoC platforms, engineering teams can accelerate development of Radar Warning Receivers, DRFM jammers, and SIGINT/ELINT receivers while focusing on algorithm development and system-level integration. We also support customization and ODM engagements for aerospace and defense programs requiring ruggedization, extended lifecycle support, or application-specific carrier boards.
To support Aerospace & Defense programs requiring extended temperature operation and ruggedized deployment, we offer military-grade XQ variants RFSoC-based System on Modules built around defense-qualified adaptive SoCs.
Available MIL-Grade RFSoC SoMs:
- XQZU49DR RFSoC System on Module
- XQZU48DR RFSoC System on Module
These modules are designed to leverage the capabilities of the Zynq UltraScale+ XQ RFSoC family, enabling high-speed RF data conversion, programmable logic acceleration, and embedded processing in mission-critical environments.
Accelerate your Electronic Warfare system development with iWave RFSoC SoMs, please reach us at mktg@iwave-global.com
