SWIFT demonstration showcases Lockheed Martin and Altera collaboration on EW and microelectronics

Lockheed Martin and Altera, an Intel Company, have completed a successful flight demonstration of the former’s 12th Generation Electronic Warfare (Gen12) transceiver utilizing Altera’s Agilex^™ 9 Direct RF FPGA (Multi-Chip Package, MCP-2).

The project, coined SWIFT (SHIP-enabled Wideband Transceiver Integrated Flight Test) by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD-R&E), saw Lockheed Martin perform an electronic warfare flight demonstration using Altera’s FPGA aboard a Group 2 Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) in less than 12 months.

Conducted at the US Army’s Yuma Proving Ground, the SWIFT demonstration represented the first time Lockheed Martin used the Altera Direct RF FPGA in a government test environment, showcasing the device’s readiness to perform real-world missions. The event successfully proved the Gen12’s Electronic Support (ES) capability by performing the detect, identify and locate mission against real enemy emitters in a DoD relevant environment.

“This demonstration signifies an important step forward for Lockheed Martin’s strategic partnership with OUSD-R&E and Altera on ensuring warfighter access to state-of-the-art, US-made microelectronics,” said Dr. Steven Walker, vice president and chief technology officer at Lockheed Martin. “The SHIP program’s transformative influence on DoD capabilities bolsters confidence in these ongoing advancements and paves the way for their integration throughout the military in support of our customers’ most critical missions.”

This demonstration proved how Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) constrained airborne platforms can still deliver electronic warfare effects, while also allowing growth for new capabilities. The technology enables a low SWaP, Sensor Open System Architecture (SOSA) aligned digital transceiver that performs the Electronic Support (ES) and Electronic Attack (EA) missions using domestically produced semiconductors.

This demonstration serves as proof of the importance of OUSD-R&E’s State-of-the-Art Heterogeneous Integrated Packaging (SHIP) program and the ongoing need for sustainable US-made microelectronics packages customized for DoD applications.

The SHIP program focuses on the development, delivery and eventual transition of microelectronics devices into DoD systems. The SHIP program’s objective is to create US-made, trusted microelectronics that enable significant SWaP reductions in DoD systems. It is part of a broader effort to enhance US-based, secure and economically viable capabilities to support critical warfighting missions.