The Office of Naval Research (ONR) awarded BAE Systems an $11 million contract to develop next-generation electronic warfare (EW) technology, the company said Monday.

The contract calls for BAE to develop a Full-Spectrum Staring Receiver (FSSR), which is to quickly detect, locate, and identify emitters of radio frequency signals. The technology is planned to allow near-instantaneous battlespace situational awareness, emitter identification and tracking, threat warning, and countermeasure & weapon cueing, BAE said.

BAE logo

In contrast, conventional situational awareness systems cannot deliver as high a level of coverage and responsiveness, the company said.

Using FSSR capabilities, Navy ships will be constantly aware of threat emitters over a broad span of the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum, BAE said.

“The Full-Spectrum Staring Receiver program integrates a complementary array of innovative technologies into a comprehensive demonstration capability that closes a widening gap for a range of Navy ships and aircraft,” Steve Hedges, FSSR principal investigator at BAE Systems, said in a statement.

“By subjecting the FSSR demonstrator to realistic, complex electromagnetic environments, we can demonstrate how these discrete innovations combine to enable an effective EW system capability,” Hedges added.

BAE highlighted the FSSR effort is part of the ONR Electronic Warfare Discovery & Invention Program. The program is trying to develop and demonstrate a range of next-generation electronic warfare systems that exploit, deceive, or deny enemy use of the EM spectrum while also allowing unfettered use by friendly forces.

“I am particularly excited by this research effort because it integrates a number of electronic warfare technologies that have been advanced by ONR-funded efforts dating back to 2008,” Peter Craig, electronic warfare program officer for ONR, said in a statement.

“Even more gratifying is that it brings together the talents of researchers from academia, industry and the government in a coordinated effort that will benefit not only the Navy but the entire Department of Defense community,” Craig added.

Other members of BAE’s FSSR team include the S2 Corporation, University of Colorado Boulder, Montana State University, Purdue University, HRL Laboratories and the Naval Research Laboratory.