Electronic intelligence (ELINT) receivers may not need to make split-second, life-or-death decisions like their radar warning receiver (RWR) counterparts, but that doesn't make their job any easier or their design less complex. Since we last surveyed them two years ago, there's a noticeable increase in their overall performance and capabilities in keeping pace with the radars they're up against. The tasks required of an ELINT receiver have never been simple to execute, but today, they are far more difficult. The service life of a radar system is typically measured in decades rather than years. This means that an ESM or ELINT system must cover a growing list of radars - some new and some old - whose signatures can change over time as upgrades are implemented, components are replaced and their performance evolves with new technologies.
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