Microwave Power Modules (MPMs) are being developed as the emerging "super" microwave power amplifier technology for the next generation synthetic aperture radr for uninhabited air reconnaissance vehicles (UAVs) and cooperative international spacebased surveillance systems. As an increasing number of surveillance Systems are beginning to utilize very complex and expensive MPM technology, it was apparent that a new packaging technique was needed to ensure high system reliability. A packagingtechniques development program was performed based on the merits of kover, aluminum and AlSiC composites to possibly take advantage of kover's ease of plating, good hermetic seals with glass and low thermal expansion; or aluminum's low cost, low weight,good thermal conductivity and machinability; and/or AlSiC's low thermal expansion, high thermal conductivity, and high strength. The principal result was the development of a new metal matrix composite microwave package. Resulting in the most significant advancement in microwave performance from a single package in the past several decades, 6.5 watts per cubic inch of microwave power.
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