Adaptive Matching Networks for Radar and Electronic Warfare Transmit Amplifiers | CRANBAA19 002

Opportunity Information: Apply for CRANBAA19 002

The Department of Defense, through NSWC Crane, offered a discretionary research grant opportunity titled "Adaptive Matching Networks for Radar and Electronic Warfare Transmit Amplifiers" (Funding Opportunity Number CRANBAA19 002). The central goal of the effort is to improve the power and efficiency of Navy radar and electronic warfare (EW) systems by targeting a specific bottleneck: the final stage solid-state transmit amplifier. In many radar and EW transmit chains, this last amplifier stage largely determines how much RF power can be delivered and how much electrical power is wasted as heat, so even modest improvements can translate into longer range, better performance, reduced cooling burden, and more practical packaging for demanding platforms.

The problem the Navy is pointing to is rooted in impedance matching. Conventional transmit amplifiers typically rely on passive impedance matching networks to move power efficiently between the amplifier device and the load across operating frequencies. Passive matching can work well, but it becomes increasingly difficult to satisfy three requirements at the same time: wide frequency bandwidth, high efficiency, and high output power. As bandwidth widens, a fixed passive network tends to compromise the match at some frequencies, which degrades power transfer and can force the amplifier to operate away from its most efficient point. That mismatch can increase losses, generate additional heat, and sometimes reduce achievable power or stress components. The Navy is essentially highlighting that traditional, static matching approaches hit practical limits when designers try to cover broad bands while also demanding high efficiency and high power.

To address that limitation, the opportunity invites applied research into adaptive matching networks. The idea is to use a matching approach that can behave like an "instantaneous narrowband" match for whatever frequency is being used at the moment, while still being tunable across a wide operating band overall. In other words, instead of forcing a single passive network to be a mediocre compromise across the whole band, an adaptive network can be reconfigured or tuned so the amplifier sees a near-optimal impedance condition at each frequency (or sub-band) of interest. If successful, this could preserve the efficiency and power advantages of narrowband matching while still enabling broadband operation through rapid tuning.

The solicitation highlights several research areas. One is the development and evaluation of adaptive matching network concepts, which can include architectures and circuit topologies that can be adjusted in real time or near real time. Another is tuning optimization strategies, meaning the algorithms and control methods used to decide how to tune the network as operating conditions change (frequency, power level, waveform, temperature, load variations, and so on). A third area is component design trades, which typically means examining the practical hardware choices and their implications, such as the selection of tunable elements, the achievable tuning speed and range, insertion loss, power handling, reliability, size/weight, and how these factors interact with amplifier performance. Taken together, the Navy is looking for work that does not stop at theory, but instead connects concepts to realistic implementation constraints that matter in fielded radar and EW transmitters.

A notable emphasis in the description is that this is framed as a microgrant focused on applied research aimed at high-efficiency, broadband sensor systems, with some mapping to longer-range research and development plans and alignment to the electronic warfare community of interest (COI) science and technology priorities. That language signals the Navy wants projects that help clarify what is feasible, what the major technical gaps are, and what research steps would most effectively move the technology toward eventual transition into real systems. The stated purpose is explicitly to "better understand the gap" and generate additional research opportunities aimed at technology transition, implying the government is trying to reduce uncertainty, identify promising approaches, and build a foundation for follow-on development rather than expecting an immediate production-ready solution.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity was listed under CFDA 12.300 within the "Science and Technology and other Research and Development" activity category. Eligible applicants were institutions of higher education, both public/state-controlled and private. The posting was created on January 14, 2019, with an original closing date of February 15, 2019. The award ceiling was $200,000, and the agency anticipated making about three awards. In practical terms, that suggests modest, focused research efforts sized for exploratory prototyping, modeling, experimental validation of key ideas, and generation of data that can inform next-step investments by the Navy radar and EW communities.

• The Department of Defense, NSWC - CRANE in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Adaptive Matching Networks for Radar and Electronic Warfare Transmit Amplifiers" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.300.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jan 14, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 15, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for CRANBAA19 002

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