Rohde & Schwarz adds new testers for AESA radar systems

Rohde & Schwarz offers new test and measurement solutions to validate the performance of the transmit-receive-module (TRM) used in active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar systems for the aerospace and defense industry.

Typical TRM test cases can be covered with a Rohde & Schwarz network analyzer as a turnkey solution, such as the R&S ZNA.  However, if higher performance such as the pulsed noise figure is required, the R&S FSW signal and spectrum analyzer can be added to the setup, said the company. Together, with the integrated calibration routine, this simplifies the setup, reducing test procedure complexity and minimizing the cable assembly.

Rohde & Schwartz’s ZVAX-TRM signal conditioning for AESA radar systems

The calibration routine is a special feature of the R&S TS6 TRM test library. It collects all the calibration requirements from the test and runs an optimized precise calibration. It can be used in a variety of use cases, including manual testing of components, complete module characterization in development, and automated production testing.

The R&S TS6 TRM test library optimizes Rohde & Schwarz test equipment for top speeds, along with fast control handover. Due to fast frequency sweeps and multiple measurements within one pulse, the number of required TRM state changes is reduced and overall test time minimized, said the company. All tests run automatically without interaction, including port multiplexing, with the R&S ZVAX-TRM signal conditioning unit

In addition, the R&S TS6 TRM test library, together with the R&S TS6710 TRM radar test system, delivers faster TRM testing, in combination with a fast handover between measurement and device programming. The company said a typical test time for a complete TRM characterization can be reduced from hours, required by the legacy TRM test systems, to only a few minutes.

The R&S TS6 TRM test library has an open software interface for TRM control, which makes it possible for the whole test configuration to be carried out locally for faster on-site adaptations and optimizations. An option is the R&S CompactTSVP test system platform, which enables very short test times in setups, without any FPGA programming. All solutions for TRM and AESA testing are available.