RF/Microwave Technologies- A Better Alternative In Defense Electronics

For the U.S. defense industry, a backdrop of political dysfunction, the lack of bi-partisan problem solving in Washington and budget uncertainty have all conspired to put the defense industrial base in a period of transition. New program starts are fewer and farther between and existing programs are under closer scrutiny. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is asking for more disciplined procurement measures without sacrificing innovation. Under the Procurement 2.0 guidelines, now called Better
Buying Power 2.0; innovation, the adoption of open architectures, and the encouragement of viable commercial enterprises to support the defense industrial base cannot be to the exclusion of expense management.

In spite of these challenges, the U.S. defense budget remains in the $500 billion range and is likely to remain so for years to come. With this level of spending there are multiple opportunities to be exploited. The DoD’s “Pacific Pivot” strategy, upgrades to aging military platforms, and international military sales, to name a few. However, taking advantage of these opportunities requires a new relationship model between the defense prime contractors and their suppliers.

This white paper:

• Reviews the challenges facing the defense industry
• Highlights how key industry trends are putting pressure on internal and external R&D, crowding out investments, and reducing tolerance for risk taking
• Provides insight to those real opportunities that still exist within this changing environment
• Walks through our RF/Microwave capabilities and solutions and our strategy for growing this segment of our business
• Discusses open architectures and why they are a game changer in RF/Microwave solutions
• Provides a description of Mercury Systems’ dual Advanced Microelectronics Centers of excellence and what makes them unique and relevant