Evolutionary trends in Transmit/Receive Module for Active Phased Array Radars

Worldwide, defense technologies are rapidly evolving and are currently aiming at integrating diverse functionalities like Radar, Electronic Warfare, Communications, etc., on a singular miniaturized platform. Hence, it cannot be denied that the advancements in modern Active Phased Array Radar technologies assume a critical role towards the achievement of this goal. A typical Active Phased Array Radar comprises of an Active Antenna Array Unit (AAAU) consisting of a large number of radiating elements, Transmit/Receive (T/R) Modules with other associated RF and digital circuitry and power electronics. This paper presents mainly the developments in Transmit/Receive (T/R) Module technology, which assimilates various stages of the technological evolution - past, current and futuristic. It discusses how these technologies contribute towards the improvement of efficiency, miniaturization and reliability without compromising its performance parameters.