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Completed EMPF Projects
By leveraging the experience of our engineers and technicians with the technical resources from best-in-class sources made up of the country’s most renowned corporations and academic institutions, the EMPF continues to meet goals of high value to the US Navy, the DoD and industry at large.
The projects managed by the EMPF, under the guidance of ACI, yield positive benefits by applying the latest concepts and technologies, and by focusing on area like: COTS (Components off the Shelf) integration, cost reduction, ruggedization, miniaturization, obsolescence mitigation, and refining manufacturing methods and processes. Innovations derived from these projects are of great benefit to the US Navy in terms of improved weapons systems performance, increased life spans of components and maintenance of legacy systems.
Follow the links listed here to see descriptions of some past projects completed by the EMPF. If you have any questions regarding some of the methods that were used to bring these projects to completion, please email us at info@empf.org.
| MMIC Flip Chip Program |
The next generation of radar systems requires electronic microwave subassemblies to replace the older mechanical scanning methods currently in place. The new Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, currently being developed for the Navy's F/A-18, requires new processes and manufacturing techniques to assemble reliable, low-cost Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) Flip Chips at a high yield. [more]
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| MEMS IMU Program |
Ever-increasing DoD technology demands in guided munitions require electronic hardware to survive and function normally at over 15,000 g's. Examples of such stringent demands can be found with the emerging precision guided munitions (PGMs) such as the Navy's Extended Range Guided Munition (ERGM) and the Army's Excalibur. Demands such as these push the limits of the sensors, electronics, and packaging that comprise the hardware, thus requiring technical development efforts to establish proven sensors and packaging techniques able to meet DoD needs. [more]
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| DD(X) Search Radar |
The current movement in the worldwide RF electronics industry toward plastic packages and assemblies is for light weight and low cost as compared to the traditional hermetic ceramic module packages concentrate primarily on the commercial rather than military markets. Part of the reason for this is the 98% electronics market share enjoyed by commercial applications, compared to only 2% of the market being Department of Defense (DoD) applications. [more]
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| ALQ 99 Jammers |
| The Band 4 Transmitter is employed on the Navy EA-6B Prowler to conduct support jamming against radar and communications threats. The OTWT is the final output stage of the Band 4 Transmitter’s Radio Frequency (RF) amplifier chain. The ALQ-99 Band 4 Transmitter relies on OTWT that use a unique “hollow-beam” design. This is a very broad band, high power OTWT confined to a demanding form factor and operating in a harsh environment. It is a one-of-a-kind design not used in any other military or commercial application. For the current OTWT design, manufacturing yield cannot keep pace with the Navy demand for spares to replace failed OTWTs. [more] |
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| APODS - Enhanced Optical Sensors |
An operational requirement for new ship and carrier construction is automatic monitoring and control of the electrical systems, such as generators, power converters, load centers and circuit breakers, to name a few. Present current and voltage sensors are large and heavy which will result in significant increases in weight and space if legacy sensors are used. [more]
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| Lead-Free Manufacturing for Defense |
The EMPF and Lockheed Martin initiated a Rapid Response Project, to determine if the use of Lead Free Solders poses a risk to the manufacturing and reliability of electronic hardware within the AEGIS Weapons Systems. [more]
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| New Energy Storage System - Mk 8 MOD1 SDV |
The EMPF, in partnership the Office of Naval Research ManTech Program and US Special Operations Command has initiated a manufacturing technology program that will improve issues like battery life, recharging and maintainence presently encountered with the Silver-Zinc [AgZn] Energy Storage System presently used by the SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV). [more]
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| Technology REfresh for Navy Transformation (TRENT) |
Rapid evolution of electronics technologies along with the downturn in procurement of new equipment has produced a consolidation of the defense industrial base and has caused DoD suppliers to shift their focus to commercial electronics markets. This is one reason why DoD weapon systems will be increasingly comprised of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components. Unlike previous custom-built DoD systems, COTS-based systems require a tailored in-service refresh strategy reflecting their different sustainment challenges. [more]
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| Link-16 Program |
The EMPF in a partnership with ONR, NAVAIR and Rockwell Collins, has undertaken the Link 16 PAI Affordability Program to develop a highly manufacturable Power Amplifier Interface (PAI) unit for the Link-16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System Low Volume Terminal (MIDS LVT1, Figure1-3) currently employed on E-2C, F/A-18 and F-16 platforms. [more]
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| AMPS |
Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics and Surveillance Systems has been developing low-cost production processes and advanced materials for high volume production of transit/receive modules for future solid state Naval shipboard radar and communication systems. This is being accomplished under MANTECH funding for the Office of Naval Research, as directed by the American Competitiveness Institute (ACI), by leveraging commercial-off-the-shelf technology (COTS) and materials.
[more]
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The objective of this program is to develop manufacturing technologies for Metallized Matrix Composite (MMC) baseplates, which will be used in Power Electronic Building Blocks (PEBBs) to provide highly-reliable and affordable packages for modular high power converters.
[ more]
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| EMMA |
The objective of this project was to determine, evaluate and mitigate the risks associated with integrating miniaturized commercial electronic packaging technologies into military guided missile systems.
[more]
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| TWT |
The objective of this project is to develop flexible manufacturing methods for high-mix, low volume production of microwave vacuum tubes at reduced costs and cycle times.
[more]
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The objective is to provide an affordable rapid and nondestructive assessment of the solderability of printed wiring boards (PWBs) coated with organic solderability preservative (OSP). Surface characteristics, such as oxide structure and quantity, have a direct link to the ability of the surface to wet molten solder (solderability). [more]
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Electronics Suite Upgrade for the EA-6B |
In 1995, DoD made the decision to retire the Air Force F-111 and to transfer all tactical air electronic warfare responsibilities to the Navy EA-6B. This required a 20-year service life extension to that aircraft and upgrade of the EW electronics suite on all aircraft to the most recent, (block 89A) configuration. [more] |
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