While virtually all electronic defense systems require digital signal processing, many operate at RF frequencies up to 18 GHz or more. Digitizing such signals traditionally required a local oscillator, a mixer, and multiple filters to translate the analog RF frequency to a lower IF frequency suitable for an ADC. In this interview, Rodger Hosking, Director of Sales, Mercury Systems, Inc. and Aerospace & Defense Technology discuss a new generation of “Direct RF” data converters that can now digitize RF signal frequencies as high as 38 GHz, revolutionizing system architectures across a wide class of platform applications and radio bands.
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