Agility will always be an essential component of any effective electronics warfare (EW) response, even as the manpower and technologies of different military forces evolve over time. As detailed in a recent white paper from Mercury Systems, “Next Generation Defense Electronics Manufacturing: Mercury Systems Advanced Microelectronics Centers,” a rapid response by means of electronics technology may not always come as the result of “military-grade” equipment, since at times commercial electronic equipment can serve as well. The chief goal highlighted by the white paper is to get any technology that provides an advantage into the hands of soldiers, sailors, and airmen as quickly as possible
The 16-page white paper, available for free download as a PDF, provides examples of the need for speed in electronics manufacturing for defense electronics applications. It is essentially a review of Mercury Systems’ modernized manufacturing capabilities and how they serve the modern military, but it is also a good reference for the types of capabilities needed to retool the defense electronics industry against modern threats.
The RFM6101 is a 6U OpenVPX radio transceiver that enables quick changes in tactical radio configuration by switching compact modules. (Courtesy of Mercury Systems)
By modifying its own business model, Mercury Systems succeeded in adapting to requirements in both commercial and defense markets for fast production cycles and high-speed manufacturing of new electronic ideas without sacrificing quality and reliability. As with many commercial electronics businesses, Mercury’s next-generation defense electronics manufacturing model is doing more with less, using modular design approaches to provide application coverage over wide areas, such as frequency ranges.
As the Department of Defense (DoD) is cited in the white paper, suitable modern electronic manufacturing solutions combine some of the efficiencies and cost-saving measures of commercial manufacturing while maintaining security over defense-related ideas and strategies. The white paper explains how effective electronic systems for defense can be manufactured with less people and capital while still meeting the most rigorous performance and reliability goals.
Mercury Systems, Corporate Headquarters, 50 Minuteman Rd., Andover, MA 01810; (978) 967-1401, (866) 627-6951
