Keysight's agile vector adapter extends the capabilities of the UXG X-Series signal generators

Keysight announced an vector adapter for electronic warfare threat simulations

  • Keysight Technologies introduced an vector adapter which extends the capabilities of the UXG X-Series signal generators to generate complex pulsed signals and waveforms based on IQ data for more realistic electronic warfare (EW) threat simulations.
  • The N5194A UXG X-Series vector adapter enables threat simulations when used with UXG X-Series signal generators.

 
The N5194A UXG X-Series vector adapter operates throughout the 50 MHz to 20 GHz frequency range and includes a 2 Gsample/second digital baseband generation system capable of producing wideband signals with up to 1.6 GHz bandwidth. This makes it possible to generate complex pulsed signals with variable rise and fall times, non-linear chirps, and advanced modulation coding schemes with an signal purity of typically -70 dBc in X-band. To mimic antenna scan patterns and angle-of-arrival (AoA) scenarios, the UXG vector adapter includes a built-in solid-state attenuator and provides 120 dB of agile amplitude range.

The N5194A vector adapter (2U high) receives its local oscillator (LO) and reference signals from the N5193A UXG X-Series signal generator. This architecture provides, according to Keysight, several advantages:

  • Agile switching and phase coherence
  • Frequency, amplitude and phase switching speed of 170 ns with phase repeatability at all frequencies
  • Multi-channel and multi-port configurations allow to control the amplitude, phase and time delay of each UXG vector adapter output— for evaluation of multi-port direction-finding receivers for simulating the AoA of multiple threat signals
  • Scale simulation systems change by adding additional UXG vector adapters
  • Compatible with the U.S. government’s next-generation EW environment generation (NEWEG) system architecture

 
N5194A with Keysight’s N7660C Signal Studio software can be used for multi-emitter scenario generation to set up radar parameters, perform AoA simulations and optimizations. It is possible to stream multi-emitter scenarios created in Signal Studio directly to the N5194A. For system testing, users can create and store waveforms in N5194A UXG’s baseband generator memory, and then access them on a pulse-by-pulse basis as pulse descriptor words (PDWs) are streamed to the N5194A.

Keysight offers system-level multi-port calibration to the measurement plane of the EW system under test (SUT). For applications that require fully-calibrated threat simulation systems, Keysight’s Aerospace and Defense Custom Solutions group can configure and integrate a solution for specific requirements.

N5194A UXG X-Series vector adapter is available now. Prices start at $140,000.
N5193A UXG X-Series signal generator is available now. Prices start at $90,000.
N7660C Signal Studio for Multi-Emitter Scenario Generation, will be available Dec. 1. Prices start at $13,500.