Capturing a signal is the first stage of the signal
processing chain. In the RF space, the initial challenge is often detecting the
signal. Mercury’s ultra-fast RF tuners help the sensor focus on a particular
signal of interest before it ends or shifts to another frequency. The result of
fast tuning speed, combined with a wide band of frequency coverage is a very high
probability of intercept for SIGINT and EW applications.
Value: High probability of
intercept
Technology: Meets next-generation SIGINT and EW requirements
Key Products:
Signals are converted from analog to digital in the Digitize phase. Mercury’s digital receivers feature multiple analog-to-digital converters (ADC) and specially programmed FPGAs. These components condition the data to preserve high fidelity, thereby maximizing signal-to-noise ratio and dynamic range, essential for subsequent stages. In addition, Mercury’s ability to integrate multiple receivers on the same system creates multi-channel coherency, vital for direction finding.
Value: Optimized signal-to-noise ratio; multi-channel coherency
Technology: Best detection in signal intelligence
Key Products:
The third stage in the signal processing chain is Process, where the digital signal is analyzed, measured, deciphered or turned into an image. EW/SIGINT signals, for instance, might be compared to other signals for matching purposes, while synthetic aperture radar signals become pictures of terrain with photographic quality. In both cases, Mercury’s server-class Intel-based digital signal processing (DSP) modules make complex real-time processing possible.
Value: Server-class Intel-based DSP modules enable complex real-time processing
Technology: Optimized for radar, EW and wide-area aerial surveillance (WAAS) applications
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Storage enables analysts to work with the data from any stage of the signal processing chain. Mercury offers ultra-dense digital storage units (DSU) to house the terabytes of data collected by platforms such as unmanned aerial vehicles. The innovative, modular design of our DSU solutions enables you to deploy storage that meets your specific application needs. You can specify SWaP constraints, environmental requirements, redundancy needs, data interface protocols and data security technologies.
Value: Highest density of storage
Technology: Deployable, rugged SWaP-optimized storage for ISR applications
Key Products:
A determination is made about the signal or image captured by the platform. Does the tread in the dirt belong to an enemy tank? Is the person of interest on the ground carrying a weapon? Today, exploitation is performed by humans, but ultimately, it will be performed on board the platform — an undertaking that will require a massive amount of processing power. Fortunately, advances in general purpose GPUs (GPGPUS) make it possible.
Value: Deployable high-performance subsystems for advanced imaging and exploitation
Technology: First OpenVPX architecture for Intel and GPU
Key Products:
At this stage, the sensor data stream has been modified and is ready to be transmitted, either as information or as an electronic countermeasure (ECM). For some applications, the information extracted from the sensor data stream is disseminated to people who need it. For radar jamming and other ECM applications, the sensor stream is processed and a response is transmitted with very low latency to confuse enemy devices.
Value: Tailored feeds sent to field forces; low-latency ECM
Technology: