New Microwave Technologies for Airborne Applications

Multifunction capabilities and constant volume requirements for airborne systems constantly push microwave technologies towards higher densities and lower costs. The best examples of this evolution are the active arrays, which offer ultimate operational flexibility. We will show that this expected shift towards sophistication has to be anticipated by developing the appropriate technologies early enough, and at the required level of maturation. These technologies include miniaturized hybrid microelectronics, high performance discrete devices, and of course specific GaAs MMICs. We will also present perspectives for long term evolutions, towards mixed optical/microwave components, and high performance high Tc superconductive electronics.