Microwave Journal
www.microwavejournal.com/articles/7796-growing-markets-for-active-electronically-scanned-arrays

Growing Markets for Active Electronically-scanned Arrays

April 23, 2009

In January 2007 – around two-and-a-half years’ back – Engalco released the first industry and markets report concerning AESAs. That first report clearly showed that these types of radars already had great operational significance whilst at the same time providing substantial and growing markets for the associated transmit-receive modules (TRM) and MMICs. The AESAs Report was understandably well received and the time is now right for an update: AESAs2 – recently released by Engalco.

A substantial amount of new research lies behind AESAs2, including of course the likely impacts of US Defense Secretary Richard Gates’ major review. There are many changes affecting the main application segments of airborne, land-based and shipboard platforms, and an entirely new segment is included providing quantitative data on spaceborne radars. Several recently-announced new AESA systems are included throughout this report for each segment.

Airborne applications represent the main markets with 379 “free world” shipments in 2009 rising to 1,638 in 2015. These markets are typically two orders of magnitude above those applying to either the land-based or shipboard segments. Total “free world” market values are just over US$6 B in 2009 which more than doubles to exceed US$13 B for 2015. Throughout the report the geographic segmentations are: Europe, North America and the Rest of the “Free World” (RoW).

Engalco’s research indicates that the total available markets for TRMs will approach US$1.3 B for 2009, which will grow strongly over most of the time scale. Total markets for the required MMICs, implemented in each TRM, to a large extent mirror the forecasted data for the TRMs. However, careful attention is paid to the impacts of unit prices on both TRM and MMIC market values. Unit price data, including regional and application-segment forecasts, are provided for TRMs and MMICs. The impact of new technologies such as GaN power amplifiers and SiGe BiCMOS receivers is taken into account in the data.

AESAs2 includes extensive market data charts and tables complete with commentaries and critiques – covering all application segments and geographic regions to 2015. Forecasted shipments data are included and the retrofitting of AESAs onto existing platforms represents an important feature of this report.

For further information, contact Engalco on +44 (0)1262 424 249 (GMT) or e-mail: enquiries@engalco-research.com.