American Made Advocacy: Smart Policies Can Ensure AI Data Centers Are Secure
Beyond the Board: Early Engagement Means Faster Prototyping for Defense Programs
Defense Speak Interpreted: The Autonomous Plane Battle—Skyborg Vs. Loyal Wingman
BAE Systems’ New Software-Defined Radio Assembly Makes Space Missions More Flexible
April 9, 2019 | BAE SystemsEstimated reading time: 1 minute
BAE Systems unveils its new general software-defined radio assembly for high reliability commercial and Department of Defense space applications. The SDR integrates the company’s RAD5545 Single Board Computer (SBC) with advanced Field Programmable Gate Array-based transceivers, enabling unparalleled flexibility, on-orbit reprogrammability and increased capacity for signals processing.
“The flexibility allowed by the general-purpose software defined radio for customers to reprogram missions makes this hardware a product our customers will be able to use into the future,” said Ricardo Gonzalez, director of Space Systems at BAE Systems. “Coupled with our RAD5545™ technology, the processing power and capability enables our customers to apply their spacecraft to multiple missions that evolve over its lifespan.”
The software defined radio’s (SDR) unique, upgradeable SpaceVPX architecture can accommodate an alternate transceiver or design improvement while retaining the integrity of the assembly. To facilitate broad application, it was designed to host third party hardware and mission intellectual property or algorithms. The SDR provides multiple receive and transmit channels that can be configured for different applications, like weather sensing, flexible communications payload, or specialized radio frequency sensing.
The RAD5545 SBC delivers exponential improvements in processing throughput and bandwidth as compared to predecessor products. The SpaceVPX RAD5545 computer is powered by the radiation hardened general purpose System-on-Chip processor.
BAE Systems is a pioneer and leader in narrowband and broadband communications technologies, with more than two decades of core expertise in software-defined radios for air, land and sea forces. The company’s Common Datalink radio family merges the latest generation wideband, high speed hardware and software technologies to provide warfighters with interoperable broadband data link communications solutions.
The SDR assembly will be developed and produced in BAE Systems’ sites in Manassas, Virginia and Merrimack, New Hampshire.
Share on:
Testimonial
"Our marketing partnership with I-Connect007 is already delivering. Just a day after our press release went live, we received a direct inquiry about our updated products!"
Rachael Temple - AlltematedSuggested Items
I-Connect007 Welcomes New Columnist: Leo Lambert, EPTAC
10/30/2025 | I-Connect007I-Connect007 is excited to announce a column by Leo Lambert, an industry veteran with 40 years of experience, an award winner, and technical director at EPTAC. This column, Learning With Leo, will explore the evolution and related challenges of electronics product assembly, especially as it relates to training.
ITW EAE to Showcase Latest Electronic Assembly Equipment Developments at productronica
10/21/2025 | ITWITW EAE will be showcasing its latest developments at productronica, November 18-21 in Munich, Germany. The ITW EAE booth A4–554 will have MPM, Camalot, Electrovert, Vitronics Soltec and Despatch applications experts on hand as well as sales and management to answer questions and offer solutions.
FCT Leverages Flex Design and Total Build Solutions to Drive Innovation
10/22/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineWhat’s hot in flexible circuits right now? At PCB West, I spoke with Ben Savage, business development manager at Flexible Circuit Technologies (FCT), about their flex design services and end-markets where FCT sees the most flex activity. We also discussed the company’s focus on providing supply chain resiliency, as well as the constant search for new flex engineers. If you’re looking for a new opportunity in flexible circuits, FCT is hiring.
PCBA Market Poised to Reach $147.5 Billion by 2035
10/20/2025 | Globe NewswireGlobal printed circuit board assembly market is projected to reach $147.5 billion by 2035, at a CAGR of 4.7% during the forecast period 2025-2035
Precision PCB Acquires Assets of Microplace
10/13/2025 | Precision Technologies Inc.Precision Technologies Inc., doing business as Precision PCB, a One-Stop PCB Fabrication and Assembly services company with 27 years of experience providing Quality, Reliability and Excellence in customer service, has acquired the assets of Microplace, Inc.