Military applications continue to drive GaN development
Military applications will continue to grow and drive the fundamental development of semiconductor technologies such as gallium nitride, reports Strategy Analytics in its “Defence Electronics Industry Review: June 2012”.
The report was highlighted at the International Microwave Symposium, (IMS 2012) and details significant defence industry news, including product announcements, milestones, contract activity and defence industry financial performance.
Speaking at IMS 2012, Cree, Nitronex, NXP, RFMD, TriQuint and UMS confirmed the report's conclusions on the applicability of GaN to communications, electronic warfare, and radar needs.
"Panelists highlighted examples where GaN technology will improve performance, efficiency and bandwidth as the military invests in next generation systems," noted Eric Higham, ADS Service Director North America.
Toshiba's new X-band GaN hybrid IC (HIC) targeted at transmit-receive modules (TRMs) used in active electronically scanned array (AESA) and passive electronically scanned array (PESA) radar applications, is a key example.
"Semiconductor technologies also underpinned military system level activity in June," says Asif Anwar, Director of the ADS service at Strategy Analytics. "Boeing and Raytheon received contracts related to AN/APG-79 AESA radar upgrades, while Northrop Grumman demonstrated the capabilities of the company's AN/AAQ-37 distributed aperture system (DAS) and AN/APG-81 AESA radar, both featured on the F-35."
