Historicalarchived

Advanced Solid State High Repetition Rate Modulator

OFFICE OF NAVAL RESEARCH

Diversified Technologies Inc.(DTI) adapted its patented high-power, solid-state, modulators and control systems to develop the Navy’s AN-SPG/60 fire control radar upgrade kit. The kit modernizes the radar’s transmitter section by replacing older vacuum tube devices with high voltage switching modules, gate drives, and interface electronics. The kits are currently installed and operating in the US Navy fleet with a similar program for the AN/SPQ-9A radar soon entering production.

Applications

Military and Commercial Significance:
AN/SPG-60 Radar upgrade (Mk 86 FCS)
AN/SPS-49 Radar Transmitter
Multi-Target Instrumentation Radar (MIR) upgrade
COBRA JUDY X-Band Radar upgrade
AN/SPQ-9A Radar upgrade
Air traffic control radar
Haystack Ultra-Wideband Satellite Imaging Radar (HUSIR)
Semiconductor and metal surface treatment processes using ion implantation
Medical accelerators for cancer therapy
Pulsed electric field processing of juices and liquid
foods
High power X-ray systems for baggage/container inspection
High energy physics research (particle accelerators, fusion research, etc.)
DTI’s solid-state radar transmitter technology significantly increases reliability of critical weapon guidance/fire control systems. The mean time between failures of the AN/SPG-60 radar transmitter is predicted to significantly increase from 300 hours to 50,000 hours, reducing both repair costs and maintenance manpower. The system is easier to fix, replacement parts are less expensive, and electronic components are 40 - 90% more efficient. As a result of these improvements, operating cost for the upgraded transmitter is expected to drop by over 90%. Additionally, the upgraded transmitter can return to operational status in microseconds after a klystron arc, allowing the system to remain operational during target tracking periods. Transmitter testing and operation are now safer with the low-voltage control circuit that isolates operators from high-voltage components.
The AN/SPG-60 radar system developed as a result of this SBIR effort has enabled an entire class of radar upgrades, allowing the US Navy fleet and other services to extend the operational life of critical radar systems. The success of the program has directly led to initiation of upgrade programs for other critical weapon systems, such as the AN/SPQ-9A radar. The underlying technology has facilitated a new category of solid state pulse power systems for semiconductor fabrication, food processing, and medical systems.

Provenance

Original: https://dodtechmatch.com/dod/successstories/view.aspx?id=60055
Archived copy: Wayback Machine snapshot

This record was recovered from a public web archive of dodtechmatch.com and is preserved for historical reference. It may be outdated. Not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Contact details from the original listing have been withheld.