WiSPR: Wideband Selective Propagation Radar
Category: IT/Electrical
Developers: MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Product Description:WiSPR is an active protection system with radar and communications functions. Radar functions are optimized to handle various threats to combat vehicles, including the most demanding targets. Current global conflicts are highlighting the susceptibility of armored vehicles to adversary anti-tank weapons. APS is one of the methods to counter these anti-tank weapons. One drawback here though is that adversary ELINT systems can detect and target armored vehicles emitting RF energy. To prevent such ELINT detection, Lincoln Laboratory designed, developed and tested an APS with a dual radar and communications functions at millimeter-wave frequencies. By combining custom technologies and COTS hardware, the Laboratory team produced a WiSPR prototype as quickly and efficiently as possible. Custom RFICs and integrated antenna packages enable the AESA system with tens of thousands of beams scanned per second to find incoming anti-tank threats and that can be easily scaled to protect small and large platforms. WiSPR participated in live-fire test events and collected data indicating the system can detect and track anti-tank weapons traveling at speeds well in excess of the speed of sound. WiSPR technology has since been transitioned to a vendor for production and will help protect U.S. Army units.
Developers: MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Product Description:WiSPR is an active protection system with radar and communications functions. Radar functions are optimized to handle various threats to combat vehicles, including the most demanding targets. Current global conflicts are highlighting the susceptibility of armored vehicles to adversary anti-tank weapons. APS is one of the methods to counter these anti-tank weapons. One drawback here though is that adversary ELINT systems can detect and target armored vehicles emitting RF energy. To prevent such ELINT detection, Lincoln Laboratory designed, developed and tested an APS with a dual radar and communications functions at millimeter-wave frequencies. By combining custom technologies and COTS hardware, the Laboratory team produced a WiSPR prototype as quickly and efficiently as possible. Custom RFICs and integrated antenna packages enable the AESA system with tens of thousands of beams scanned per second to find incoming anti-tank threats and that can be easily scaled to protect small and large platforms. WiSPR participated in live-fire test events and collected data indicating the system can detect and track anti-tank weapons traveling at speeds well in excess of the speed of sound. WiSPR technology has since been transitioned to a vendor for production and will help protect U.S. Army units.
