V . C o m m a n d a n d c o n t r o l V I I . E l e c t r o n d e v i c e s

M i s s i o n n e e d T e c h n i c a l a p p r o a c h

Ail-digital systems for sensor data-stream

Analog-to-digital conversion at sensor multiple bus architecture ;

integration Integrated avionics system

Data presentation in spatially confined quarters

Flat panels to replace cathode-ray tuL»e Helmet-mouined displays Synthesized speech for emergencies

Improved decision aids Extension of data buses by use ot target signatures, deployment information, and terrain conditions

Algorithms to queiy such bases and correlate responses

1 Reduced vulnerability ! of command structure

Network with distributed processing capability

software for automating the decision-making process. The technical approaches under development are given in Table V.

Electronic warfare. As the electronic sensors deployed by potential adversaries become more sophisticated, the United States has been forced to pay greater attention to its electronic warfare (EW) capability. Three types of EW are recognized: (1) passive measures designed to shield the U.S. forces from enemy observation; (2) warning receivers designed to detect an enemy's electronics threat; and (3) active countermeasures aimed at jam­ming an enemy's systems or giving deceptive or false target infor­mation . Initially confined to the microwave and VHP portions of the spectrum, where conventional radar and communication equipment operate, EW has now been extended to the IR and op­tical wavelengths as sensors employing these modalities have been deployed. The DOD has formally recognized that new elec­tronic equipment must be designed to counter the electronic countermeasures (ECM) threat. As a result, the DOD is pursuing

V I . E l e c t r o n i c w a r f a r e

1 M i s s i o n n e e d T e c h n i c a l a p p r o a c h

Radiation detection and sorting in a dense signal environment

High-speed, real-time spectrum analysis by use of acousiooptic orocessing for 100 to 1000 simultaneous spectral outputs

\ Stand-off jammer for wide-area penetration of enemy radar with minimum risk to

: attacking force

Programmabie high-power broadband micro­wave amplifiers

High-gam radiates

•• Extension of ECM spectrum coverage to millimeter and optical wavelengths

Developinent ot tunable components ot suitable power covering these ranges

: Decoys Exuendfible jammers Chaff Pyrophoric flares

i Warning of illumination Laser-warning receiver

; Obscuration aids Aerosol:; Smokes effective over optical and infrared

spectra

; Radar and IR cross-section i reduction

Stealth concepts uicn as absorptive coat­ings and paintt and structure geometries tnat avoid high reflection

a variety of electronic counter countermeasures (ECCM), in­cluding antijam devices mentioned above and additional tech­niques given in Table VI.

G e n e r i c s u p p o r t t e c h n o l o g i e s Electron devices. Advances in electron devices and com­

ponents are needed to realize the full potential of many systems under development. The DOD's R&D program on electron devices is divided into three technical disciplines: microelec­tronics, microwaves, and electrooptics. Table VII gives some ex-

G o a l

T e c h n i c a l a p p r o a c h j Real-time, high-speed

signal processing Digital: VHSIC submicrometer silicon tech

nology; gallium arsenide tor even mgner speed and strategic levels of radiation hardening

Analog; surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) charge-coupled devices (CCDs) to^ correla­tors and filters; acoustooptic Bragg ceii diffraction for spectrum analyzers and correlators

Affordable microwave phased array

Monolithic solid-state transmit ana receive modules, including digital phase snifter

Millimeter-wave power Extension of helix traveling-wave tubes (TWT-,: into this range; development of new cir cuit structures; broadband gyrotron ano other fast wave tubes; search for new soiiO state device principles

Blue-green narrowband source for undersea communications

Increased power for mercury bromide lasers; investigation of frequency-doubling materials; Raman down-conversion of excimer lasers

Eye-sate source for laser rangetinder

Development of a sealed-off C0̂ > lase^ with good reliability and life span

Fiberoptic wideband components

Development of a long wave-length (1.3-tu-1.5-micrometeri semicon­ductor laser. Ill-V compouno aectors anc low-loss couplers

High-sensitivity IR imaging sensor and processor

Staring, two-dimensional mosaic arrays with time-integration CCD readout (eveniuaMy to be monolithically integrated)

Vulnerability reduction Radiation and electromagnetic oulse harden­ing of semiconductor components, fault-tolerant component designs; failure diagnostics

amples of current programs. Information processing. The major thrust in this area is the

introduction of Ada, a standard high-order language for com­puters used in defense systems. A program-support environment for this language is now under development. Because the services already have millions of lines of codes written in other languages, the changeover to Ada is likely to be slow. Instruction-set archi­tectures have been defined that should be efficient with Ada pro­gramming. The DOD proposes to standardize such an architec­ture for the next generation of military computers.

However, the overriding problem with software is the need for a quantum leap in programmer productivity. Although new methods for improving programming are being introduced—for example, more efficient debugging and formal requirement statements—programming is still more an art than an engineer­ing discipline. It is hoped that plummeting computer costs and market recognition of the fact that software is inhibiting expan­sion of computer applications will lead to improved methods of writing new programs and of making use of old ones. The DOD is planning new initiatives along these lines. ^

VHSIC: A P r o m i s e O f L e v e r a g e

The U.S. Department of Defense has embarked on the most am­bitious—and probably most important—Federal program since the launching of the space exploration program. The VHSIC

Larry W . S u m n e y Semiconductor Research Cooperative

Technology in war and peace: future weaponry 93

(Very High Speed Integrated Circuits) program is aimed at devel­oping silicon chips that will be fast enough and reliable enough to ensure continuing U.S. superiority in defense electronics. The six-year program is being financed at $75 million per year and ex­ecuted by she of the nation's most important corporations.

Each corporation is using a different integrated-circuit technology to try to design a chip with 1.25-micrometer features. Each type of chip will be demonstrated in a different piece of defense equipment, or brassboard [see table]. If all goes accord­ing to schedule, demonstrations will begin in about two years.

In addition to the efforts of the six major contractors, the

The V H S I C program: six competi t ive chip technologies C h i p t e c h n o l o g y ( a n d d e s i g n a p p r o a c h ) B r a s s b o a r d Bipolar-ISL. CML Eieclrooptic signal

(custom-cnips-based processor microcell library)

CMOS/SOS (Standard Antijam communi­and custom recon- cations tigurable chips)

NMOS (master image Acoustic signal with macrocell processor library)

Cipoiar-STl. NMOS Muitimode fire-and ipfoyramrnahie forge! missi'e chip set)

Bipolar-ED i^l. CMOS Electronic-warfare (Standard chip seti signal processor

CMOS/bulk (Standard Advanced tactical chip set) radar processor

C o n t r a c t o r Honeywell Inc

Hugnes Aircraft Co.

IBM Corp.

Texas Instruments ;nc.

TRW Inc

Westinghouse Corp.

VHSIC program is supporting related research in scores of universities, corporations, and laboratories around the country. Much of this research is concentrated on developing the high-resolution lithography needed to meet the 1.25-μm, and ultimately submicrometer, goals of the program. In addition, research on reliability, testing, design automation, and process­ing is being supported.

The VHSIC program is only two years old, but there are already harbingers of change—both technical and organiza­tional—in the microelectronics industry. For instance, since the design and production of future chips may well require corporate investments of $100 million, the field is likely to be dominated by a few very large corporations. (A closer look at the VHSIC pro­gram and what it portends will appear in an upcoming issue of Spectrum.)

The table above gives a glimpse of the program. 4

S t r a t e g i c W e a p o n s

E x p l o i t E l e c t r o n i c s A new development is taking place in military capabilities: with advances in electronics, the emphasis has shifted from delivery vehicles and explosive devices to improvements in sensors, con­trol, and accuracy.

During World War II, revolutionary military capabilities were achieved by a series of dramatic technical developments: radar, jet engines, guided missiles, and the nuclear bomb. During the 1950s and 1960s, these achievements were refined, providing capabilities that could hardly have been imagined in the 1940s.

Beginning in the 1970s and extending into this decade, the technologies of microelectronics and computers that were developed primarily for commercial applications have provided military planners with a whole new focus. In the United States, the new technologies are having far-reaching effects on the na­tional military capability—and they will continue to do so as long as the U.S. remains the world leader in microelectronics. The new technologies are being exploited in many important areas.

S t r a t e g i c m i s s i l e s The inertial guidance systems of today's ballistic missiles have

accuracies that give them some probability of destroying even very hard targets, such as missile silos. Within the decade im­provements will be made in inertial systems that will reduce delivery error to about half its present value. Given the lethal radius of nuclear warheads, this virtually ensures destruction of each target engaged by such a weapon.

Even greater accuracies can be achieved by employing a ter­minal guidance system. U.S. cruise and Pershing II missiles employ a form of scene-matching guidance called Tercom, with accuracies several times better than those achievable with inertial systems. Similar systems could be adapted to intercontinental and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (ICBMs and SLBMs).

Another kind of very accurate guidance system positions itself by reference to the new navigation satellites (Navstars). Intended for navigational purposes for ships, airplanes, ground vehicles, and submarines, six of these satellites are already in orbit, and the United States intends to orbit 18 by the late 1980s. With an ap-

W l l l i a m J . Per ry H a m b r e c h t & Q u i s t

A d a o n the hor i zon Ada, the Defense Department's standard language, is almost here. The American National Standards Institute's second canvass of potential Ada users ended Sept. 24, and revisions to Ada based on that survey should be incorporated into the language by December.

Subsets of Ada have been available for some t ime, and some complete compilers may be submit ted for validation before the end of the year. The validation process ensures that each compiler carries out no less and no more than is specified in the language defini t ion; by maintaining its trade­mark on Ada, the DOD can make certain that Ada compilers developed by different companies conform to the same stan­dard.

Softech Inc. of Waltham, Mass., is responsible for carrying out validation tests, which should take about two months for each compiler submit ted. A fully certif ied Ada compiler could

therefore reach the field as early as February 1983. The Army has already taken initial delivery on an Ada language system (ALS), and hopes to make Ada generally available to its pro­grammers by January 1984; the Air Force contracted for its Ada integrated environment (AIE) in mid-1982 and expects to put it to use late in 1984; and the Navy is currently formulat ing a request for proposal for a Navy-oriented Ada programming environment based on the best features of ALS and AIE.

When it first becomes available to DOD programmers, Ada wil l be opt ional rather than mandatory The language wil l be required for all programming only after those responsible for software development in the services determine that it is mature, according to Robert Mathis, technical director of the Ada joint program off ice. That decision, he said, wil l depend on the success of initial Ada programming projects.

—Paul Wallich

94 IEEE spect rum O C T O B E R 1982