JED - March 2015 - (Page 48)

book reviews Reviewed by Kernan Chaisson Electronic Warfare: Receivers and Receiving Systems Richard A. Poisel The Journal of Electronic Defense | March 2015 48 Receivers are at the heart of all EW systems and a significant part of any discussion of elecelec tronic warfare. Simply put, without viable rere ceivers, the fundamental purpose of any RF EW system is rendered null and void. This book considers in great detail the major elements that make up good EW systems and the receivers that go into them. Dr. Richard A. Poisel has taken what is part of many books and updated the material, combining it into a single, masterful tome focusing strictly on receiving systems and their architecture. In a little over 800 pages, Dr. Poisel seized on the opportunity to address the latest design and performance issues of the fast-moving digital receiver world. The result is a wide-ranging resource for system design and development of receivers for modern modulations (such as spread spectrum) as well as for older, common modulation formats. Each major receiver module is considered in detail, with design information and performance trade-offs for various components. The author discusses in detail the major factors that influence the functioning of the modules. Key performance parameters are identified, as well as approaches to receiver design goals. The result is a single volume for engineers' bookshelves that is a wide-ranging source of proven design approaches and analysis techniques for older, existing EW receivers as well as creative approaches to tomorrow's digital equipment. Dr. Poisel holds patents in the communications electronic warfare area and is the author of six books on EW systems and applications. Electronic Warfare: Receivers and Receiving Systems, ISBN 978-1-60807-841-7, Artech House Publishing, 2014. Frigatefire John Burwell Wilkes In March 2012, JED reviewed John Wilkes' first book, Raventross, which was released at the AOC International Symposium that year in Washington, DC. It featured a tricked-up EF-111A as the main character, a story inspired, according to the author, by AOC Past President "Pepper" Thomas. The rest of the cast was based on a variety of Old Crows. The crew is back at it again. Without giving anything away, think Flight of the Old Dog, Dan Brown, with some John Le Carré thrown in. The story builds on the author's experience in international aviation, airplane financing and leasing and is a good follow-on to Raventross. It would be good, but not absolutely necessary, to have read Raventross first. Wilkes' writing creates a nice mental picture of where the action takes place. He has a knack for creating interesting characters and putting them in fascinating places facing exciting challenges. It does not take too long before the reader begins to know them as old friends, especially the carryovers from his first book. He made very Inter good use of time spent at the InterWashing national Spy Museum in Washington, DC. Interestingly, Wilkes was able to gather a lot of detail from some special exhibits there and pick the brain of Museum Director Peter Earnest for material. Like Wilkes' first book, Frigatefire activ involves high tech, ultrasecret activna ities revolving around one of the nation's premier EW assets; adding some Soviets for excitement and intrigue. He hints that this may be the second of what could turn out to be a series of techno-thrillers. Frigatefire, ISBN 978-1-63396-010-7, CDES Publishing, 2014. a

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JED - March 2015

The View From Here
Conferences Calendar
Courses Calendar
From the President
The Monitor
World Report
Charting the Future for DIRCM
How Far Can We Take GaN Technology?
Book Reviews
EW 101
AOC News
2015 AOC Industry Member Guide
Index of Advertisers
JED Quick Look

JED - March 2015