Test and Evaluation of Defense RF Electronic Systems

The course presents an overview of the requirements for testing defense-related RF electronics systems (Radar, EW, Communications, and RF surveillance systems). The course begins with a detailed discussion of test and evaluation as it pertains to DoD and U.S. government systems acquisition processes. Explore laboratory and in-situ testing methods for components, subassemblies, subsystems, systems, and platform (ship, air, space, and ground)-level testing. Examine modeling & simulation on test & evaluation and special test considerations in EMC/EMI, electronic combat, and command and control testing.

Managers, engineers and scientists who are involved in the development of defense electronic systems, and who will have to be involved in the testing of the systems, beginning at the component level, and extending through subsystem, and system, to platform level testing should attend this course.

Each student will receive a notebook and CD-ROM with a complete set of lecture handouts, reference materials used in the course, and automated testing software.

Course Outline

  1. Introduction
    • Introduction to T&E
    • Testing Requirements
    • Testing Motivation
    • T&E Case Studies
    • DoD T&E Organizations & Agencies
    • Test Plans
    • General Testing Procedures
    • Layered Test Process
    • Calibration & NIST Overview
  2. Laboratory Test Equipment
    • Basic test equipment - VOMs, DVMs, O-scopes
    • Spectrum and Network Analyzers
    • Automated, Computer-Controlled Testing (GPIB, Lab View, etc.)
  3. Testing Components, Board-level, and Subassembly Testing
    • Active (transistors, tubes, Ics) and Passive (resistors, capacitors, etc) Components
    • Circulators, isolators, splitters
    • Connectors and cabling
    • Boards, chassis, and board-level assemblies
  4. Subsystem Testing (with labs/demos)
    • Receivers
    • Transmitters
    • Antennas
  5. System Testing (with labs)
    • Radar
    • EW
    • Communications
    • RF surveillance systems
  6. Platform Testing
    • Sea
    • Airborne
    • Space
    • Ground

Instructor

Jim Scheer, a principal research engineer in the Georgia Tech Research Institute's Sensors and Electromagnetic Applications Laboratory, has more than 30 years of experience in the design and development of radar systems. He is researching radar systems design and signal processing techniques and is the co-editor of Principles of Modern Radar (SciTech Publishing Inc., 2007).

Mr. Duane Tate, Georgia Tech Research Institute senior research engineer, has an extensive 40-year career as a systems engineer on major Department of Defense Systems Acquisitions programs providing design, development, test and evaluation, modeling and simulation, and planned program performance improvement throughout all phases of the acquisition program. His career began during the period of structured, mil-spec, acquisition policies and procedures and spans the waning of Defense Department's emphasis on systems engineering and formal policies and procedures in the 1990s, to the resurgence of the importance of these formal processes beginning in 1999-2000. Tate's interests include systems engineering, T&E, advanced distributed systems, and modeling & simulation technologies.

V. Locke Wilde, a general associate with a Washington, D.C.-based Department of Defense consulting firm, was a senior test and evaluation engineer at Georgia Tech Research Institute. He holds a B.A. from California State University-Northridge. Wilde is a retired Naval officer with 28 years of experience in the test and evaluation of defense systems, followed by 12 years in industry, planning and supporting test and evaluation of Naval systems. At GTRI, he was involved in the land-based testing of the AN/SPY-3 radar system at Wallops Island, Va., and participated in the planning for the at-sea portion of that system.

Continuing Education Credit

This program meets the criteria for the nationally accepted Continuing Education Unit (CEU). Each participant successfully completing this 5 day course will earn 3 CEUs. These CEUs apply to the elective requirements for the TEREC Test & Evaluation Certificate.

Schedule and Fees

This class is scheduled for March 29-April 2, 2010 in Smyrna, GA. The course fee of $1595 covers all course materials.

Course Location and Accommodations

This course will be held at Georgia Tech Cobb County Research Facility (CCRF), at at 7220 Richardson Road, Smyrna, GA, 30080. The facility is located 16 miles northwest of Atlanta and immediately west of Dobbins Air Reserve Base.

Hotel rooms are available at several Cobb County area hotels.

Registration

Registration for this course is done through the Georgia Tech Continuing Education Department. To register on-line, use the Continuing Education Information/Registration Page for this course. Once there, click on "Register Now." A phone number is provided for those who do not wish to register and pay on-line.

Course Last Offered

March 30 - April 3, 2009, Atlanta, GA

 

Last Updated August 17, 2009