The World’s Largest Real Time EW Test Range

October 1, 2025

Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency (DARPA)
Arlington, VA
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www.darpa.mil

The U.S. Department of Defense faces an increasingly complex electromagnetic environment, in which rapid advances in radar and electronic warfare (EW) demand new tools for development, testing, and training. DARPA’s Digital RF Battlespace Emulator (DRBE) program took up this challenge, resulting in the development of the world’s largest high-fidelity, real-time virtual radio frequency (RF) test range – enabling previously unachievable scale and realism in the emulation of EW scenarios.

Unlike traditional modeling, simulation, and open-air testing approaches, the DRBE system allows for the complex interaction of synthetic RF entities simultaneously, all within a fully software-defined environment. This offers a powerful new tool for testing AI-enabled EW capabilities and accelerating the development of next-generation RF systems.

“DRBE is a leap forward in how we can prepare and equip RF systems against sophisticated adversaries,” said Anna Tauke-Pedretti, Ph.D., DRBE Program Manager in DARPA’s Microsystems Technology Office. “DRBE is not only setting a new benchmark for real-time simulation but is also accelerating our ability to develop and refine advanced electronic warfare capabilities that keep pace with emerging threats.”’

At the heart of DRBE is a realtime high-performance waferscale computing architecture, or “Real-Time HPC,” powered by the world’s largest processor. This compute system delivers massive throughput with ultra-low latency, a critical requirement for simulating complex RF engagements with the timing precision needed for modern EW tactics.

The first DRBE system will transition to a U.S. Navy lab in late 2025, where it will be integrated into the Defense Department’s testing and evaluation infrastructure.

“DRBE is a catalyst, redefining the scale at which we can develop EW payloads and address complex challenges. It empowers our lab to craft solutions with unprecedented sophistication, significantly boosting our confidence in the effectiveness and reliability of our products,” said Jenifer Koch, Chief Technologist, Aircraft and Spectrum Integration Environments, U.S. Navy.

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