Testing radio systems at a controlled range may be the most realistic methodology, but it has many challenges. Range testing can only replicate a small subset of the variables of a scenario, and it is difficult to replicate the congested and contested environments that mirror the tactical edge. It can also be expensive to implement, and scheduling restrictions often adversely impact the ability to debug and iterate designs.

The connected battlefield requires a new level of testing and assurance that depends on close collaboration between government defense agencies and private enterprise. In this paper, Spirent shares our industry expertise on the technical challenges that military radio system designers, integrators and buyers face, and shows how state-of-the-art channel emulation has become so beneficial in getting today’s complex RF systems proven in faster and at much lower cost than previously achievable.