Syntonics, an Ironwave Technologies Company, is an RF Systems provider for the Aerospace & Defense sector. It brings nearly 300 man-years of expertise across a wide range of engineering disciplines and advanced technologies, from radar and terrestrial communications to interplanetary and exo-solar spacecraft. With nearly 50 successfully completed government-funded advanced research and development contracts and over $100 Million in contract deliverables, Syntonics is uniquely positioned to solve difficult communications challenges with solutions that may seem challenging for others.
Key Focus Areas
- Software Defined Radio (SDR) Transceivers: Design & Development
- Waveform Development & Design
- Special Purpose Radios: Design & Development
- Specialty RADAR: Development and Design
- Custom RF Communications Range Extension Systems
- RF-over-Fiber: Development & Design
Products Developed by Syntonics
Remote Antennas & Radio Range Extension: Syntonics has deployed more than a million meters of fiber-optics-based RF transport, enabling hundreds of radios to operate with antennas located kilometers away. Transporting RF signals over fiber eliminates the loss associated with long coaxial cables, making radio communication possible in otherwise unfeasible scenarios. For nearly two decades, Syntonics has enabled antenna installations kilometers away from radios—up, down, and sideways.
The FORAX (Fiber Optic Remote Antenna eXtension) system connects radios to antennas over very long distances using secure fiber optic cables. The second-generation FORAX-LS is a high-performance alternative to conventional coaxial cable, providing greater flexibility in antenna placement while maintaining electrical isolation between the radio and the repeater. With antenna locations up to 10 kilometers away from the user, FORAX-LS enhances the physical security of both equipment and personnel. It is optimized for radios used in tactical communications by U.S. and allied forces and supports all VHF and UHF communications waveforms including SRW, ANW2, SINCGARS, ANDVT, AM/FM voice, and both commercial and military SATCOM. The system comprises a Radio Interface Unit (RIU), which connects to the radio via coaxial cable, and an Amplifier Interface Unit (AIU), which connects to the customer’s high-power amplifier at the antenna site. These two components are linked by a user-supplied optical fiber cable.
The HARC (High Altitude Relay Communications) family extends network and communications range for aerial platforms. The HARC-Tethered Drone solution dramatically enhances communications capabilities and supports camera integration. HARC-Tactical, designed for tethered aerostats where size and weight are constrained, provides UHF network and communications range extension as well as Ethernet connectivity. It transports payload data, UHF radio signals, and command-and-control communications over a single-mode optical fiber embedded in the tether. This optical link is secure, immune to interference, and effectively unlimited in bandwidth, eliminating the limitations of traditional wireless links to aerial platforms.
Image: HARC TACTICAL
Syntonics also offers advanced solutions in asset tracking and data exfiltration. Its TAG, TRACK, LOCATE technologies are built on cutting-edge low probability of intercept/detection (LPI/LPD) encoding algorithms implemented at the chip level. These miniature communication solutions are capable of operating from within metalized enclosures, communicating via satellite, and running for months on battery power—ideal for providing real-time positional data on high-value assets. Hundreds of these systems are already deployed.
In high-risk environments, Syntonics' DATA EXFIL technology enables the secure transmission of hundreds of megabytes of data from extreme conditions, including underwater locations, to end users across the globe via satellite. These chip-level, miniaturized communications solutions are built to function reliably under the most challenging circumstances.
For kinetic threat detection, Syntonics provides the Sniper Projectile Detection Radar (SPiDR), a system designed to give soldiers immediate information on the source of incoming fire. SPiDR detects and reports kinetic threats in real time, geolocates the origin of the attack, and integrates with ATAK and similar situational awareness platforms. The system is compact and optimized for low size, weight, and power consumption, meeting the demanding requirements of tactical operations.
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