Current and future trends in military electronic warfare systems and the role of thin films and related materials

Modern warfare has made impressive strides in the past century, especially in the areas of communications, RADAR and surveillance. On the opposite side of the coin are the military SIGINT (SIGnal INTelligence) systems which attempt to detect, copy, jam and geolocate signals emitted by radios, RADARs, etc. as a means of providing the commander with a reasonable visualization of the Battlefield and with an EOB (Electronic Order of Battle). Military SIGINT platforms are taxed to the limit of modern technology in trying to cover the spectrum from HF to Ka band, sometimes over an enormous dynamic range. This paper will attempt to present a general overview of current and future Army SIGINT systems along with the role thin films (such as ferrites, ferroelectrics, magnetostatic films, metamaterials, etc) can play in devices such as filters, phase shifters, limiters, smart antennas, etc. for extending their usefulness into the 21st century.