CACI Radio Electronic Warfare Projects (2017-Present)
Image source: US Army
Pictures of some of my projects are not available due to their confidential nature. A similar public-facing system is shown here.
Insitu RQ-21A UAS with radio direction finding antennas trailing off the left wing.
At the CACI LGS Labs division, I work on a line of radio direction finding products in a group that traces it roots back to Bell Labs.
My work is split between ground human-worn systems and airborne systems that are integrated into aircraft.
Design challenges for human-worn systems include:
Creating lightweight, low-profile systems that maximize comfort and mobility.
Fast, tool-less assembly and disassembly.
Environmental resistance to water, particles, and extreme temperatures.
Design challenges for airborne systems include:
Creating low SWaP solutions that fit the minimal power budget and payload space available in unmanned aircraft.
Designing durable, aerodynamic parts to be mounted on the exterior of aircraft. Launch and capture (landing) methods of different aircraft often introduce mechanical points of failure.
Interfacing with existing aircraft electronics systems.
Design challenges common to both:
Following iterative design method that allows for testing at every stage. Even small mechanical changes can affect performance due to the unpredictable nature of radio waves.
Maximizing repeatability and tolerances. Antenna position has has a direct performance on the system.
Minimizing electromagnetic interference through use of non-ferrous materials isolation of antennas.