Aerospace & Defense Overview

Supporting Aerospace & Defense applications, including Radar, Electronic Warfare and Satellite Communications applications, with high-reliability screening capabilities and US-based manufacturing.

Radar systems are essential for modern defense systems, enabling precise detection, tracking, and targeting across air, land, and sea. From long-range surveillance to missile seekers, today’s radars operate in S, X, and Ka bands and are rapidly evolving toward fully digital architectures with active electronically scanned arrays (AESA) for multi-mission capabilities. These systems demand components that deliver high reliability and low loss while meeting stringent size, weight, and power (SWaP) requirements and supporting advanced features such as digital beamforming and agile filtering. 

Key Highlights of Knowles components:

  • Space level reliability screening (MIL PRF / MIL STD) to ensure stable performance in long mission radar and seeker systems
  • Low loss, high Q RF components to support precise target detection, tracking accuracy, and digital beamforming
  • SWaP optimized components reduce size and weight without sacrificing thermal or electrical performance
  • Wideband, temperature stable designs that deliver consistent operation from S band surveillance radars to Ka band seekers

Electronic Warfare

Electronic Warfare (EW) systems are the backbone of modern defense strategies, designed to dominate contested electromagnetic environments. From jamming enemy radar to safeguarding critical communications, EW solutions deliver adaptive, broadband performance from the VHF to Ka band for mission-critical superiority.

Key Highlights of Knowles components:

  • High reliability RF filters and capacitors engineered for broadband jamming, signal protection, and agile EW architectures
  • Low loss, high Q materials maintain superior signal integrity across VHF to Ka band in contested electromagnetic environments
  • Adaptive tunable and switched filter technologies enable rapid frequency agility essential for EA/EP/EWS missions
  • Radiation tolerant, ruggedized EW grade components withstand extreme temperatures, shock, vibration, and high power signal loads

Communications

In modern defense operations, secure and reliable communications are non-negotiable. From man-portable radios to airborne and maritime platforms, tactical communication systems enable voice and data exchange across contested environments. These systems leverage software defined radios (SDR), mesh networks, and interoperability standards to deliver resilient connectivity for command and control, even under extreme electromagnetic and physical stress.

Key Highlights of Knowles components:

  • High Q capacitors and low loss RF filters ensure clear, secure voice/data links 
  • Wideband components optimized for SDR and mesh networks 
  • Compact, SWaP efficient designs maximize battery life and reduce payload burden 
  • Rugged environmental performance maintains connectivity under thermal stress, vibration, and high EMI operating conditions

Satellite Communications

Satellite communications (SatCom) play a critical role in modern aerospace and defense operations by enabling secure, high-bandwidth links from ground stations to low Earth orbit and deep space platforms. These systems must deliver uncompromised reliability under extreme conditions, including radiation exposure, thermal cycling, and zero-maintenance environments.

Key Highlights of Knowles components:

  • Radiation tolerant, space grade components qualified for GEO, MEO, and LEO 
  • Ultra stable, high Q materials maintain signal integrity for high bandwidth uplink/downlink and phased array SatCom terminals
  • High reliability screening to MIL and space standards 
  • Low loss microwave components support high frequency Ka band and emerging Q/V band SatCom architectures

Detonation

In the Aerospace and Defense sectors, detonation systems are the backbone of precision weaponry, flight termination architectures, and safety critical initiation mechanisms. These systems must deliver tightly controlled, ultra fast energy pulses that reliably activate exploding foil initiators (EFI) or exploding bridgewire (EBW) detonators — even in the harshest operational environments. Extreme temperatures, intense vibration, shock loading, and electromagnetic interference demand components with uncompromising ruggedness and repeatable performance, where failure is simply not an option.
Key Highlights:

  • High energy pulse capacitors engineered for precise EFI/EBW firing with extremely fast rise times and low ESR 
  • Rugged, high temperature operation ensures reliable initiation in environments up to 250°C [BD2.1]with intense shock and vibration
  • MIL PRF tested, high reliability screening guarantees safe and repeatable energy 
  • Optimized for mission critical pulse power systems 

Educational Resources

Blogs
Catalogs
Whitepapers
Videos

Switch Filter Banks for Agile RF Receiver Design in Radar

For the third installment in our RF Components for Radar series, miniaturized switch filter banks help modern radar systems adapt to changing missions and crowded RF environments while maintaining high performance.
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View Article for Switch Filter Banks for Agile RF Receiver Design in Radar

Filters in Radar Receivers

In the fourth installment in our RF Components for Radar series we cover how RF filters help radar receivers isolate desired signals, reject interference, and enable high-performance digital beamforming in modern radar systems.
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View Article for Filters in Radar Receivers
MIL-PRF-55681-Qualified Capacitors

Knowles Achieves a Benchmark for Excellence: MIL-PRF-55681-Qualified Capacitors for Mission-Critical Defense Applications

When it comes to aerospace and defense applications, every single component plays a role in the success and longevity of the system. Capacitors are vital in flight control systems, radar systems, signal intelligence equipment and more.
View Article for Knowles Achieves a Benchmark for Excellence: MIL-PRF-55681-Qualified Capacitors for Mission-Critical Defense Applications
View Article for Knowles Achieves a Benchmark for Excellence: MIL-PRF-55681-Qualified Capacitors for Mission-Critical Defense Applications
Capacitor Support in Power Amplification for Radar Systems

Capacitor Support in Power Amplification for Radar Systems

In radar systems, power amplifiers serve an essential role in transmitting signals that probe the environment of interest. They boost signal strength and maintain its quality to achieve the intended range and resolution of the overall system.
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View Article for Capacitor Support in Power Amplification for Radar Systems
Capacitors Support Radar MMIC Amplifiers via Bypassing

Capacitors Support Radar MMIC Amplifiers via Bypassing

Monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) amplifiers are widely used in defense radar systems. The industry recognizes them as a compact, high-performance option that’s reliable and easy to integrate.
View Article for Capacitors Support Radar MMIC Amplifiers via Bypassing
View Article for Capacitors Support Radar MMIC Amplifiers via Bypassing
Selecting Capacitors for Charge Storage in Radar Power Amplifiers

Selecting Capacitors for Charge Storage in Radar Power Amplifiers

The types of threats facing radar systems are continuing to diversify. To adapt, the industry is evolving toward fully digital arrays that can support a variety of mission profiles.
View Article for Selecting Capacitors for Charge Storage in Radar Power Amplifiers
View Article for Selecting Capacitors for Charge Storage in Radar Power Amplifiers

RF/Microwave Products Catalog

Advanced RF and microwave components engineered for demanding environments.
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View Resource for RF/Microwave Products Catalog

SLC Capacitors Catalog

A comprehensive catalog of SLCs optimized for high‑reliability RF and power designs.
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View Resource for SLC Capacitors Catalog

RF/Microwave Products for Space Applications

High‑reliability components engineered for mission‑critical space applications.
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View Resource for RF/Microwave Products for Space Applications

MLC Capacitors Catalog

A comprehensive portfolio of high-performance MLCCs.
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View Resource for MLC Capacitors Catalog

Boom Microphones for Critical Communication and Specialty Performance

A guide to choosing the right boom microphone for your application, environment, communication and durability requirements.
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View Resource for Boom Microphones for Critical Communication and Specialty Performance

RF Components for Radar Systems

Review radar’s essential components and explore how RF systems work together to ensure precision and reliability.
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View Resource for RF Components for Radar Systems

Reduce RF Circuit SwaP with High K Materials

Address your toughest device miniaturization challenges with high K materials and precision thin-film microstrip technology.
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View Resource for Reduce RF Circuit SwaP with High K Materials

Reduce SWaP, Increase Performance of Phased Arrays

An innovative filtering approach to handle an increasingly crowded RF spectrum.
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View Resource for Reduce SWaP, Increase Performance of Phased Arrays

Understanding the Nuances of Space-Level Qualification and Screening of Filters

Selecting high-quality, high-reliability electronic components is a necessity for meeting the rigorous requirements of space...
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View Resource for Understanding the Nuances of Space-Level Qualification and Screening of Filters

Knowles - Voyaging into Space

Highly reliable, space-qualified RF solutions.
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View Resource for Knowles - Voyaging into Space

Why trust Knowles' products for a space mission?

Knowles prioritizes reliability, quality, and full traceability across its products—backed by decades of proven performance.
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View Resource for Why trust Knowles' products for a space mission?

Why Trust the Knowles Engineering Team?

FAQ: Why should I trust the Knowles engineering team?
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View Resource for Why Trust the Knowles Engineering Team?

Product Documentation

Switched Filter Banks

Switched filter banks enable compact, highly integrated designs while maintaining reliability across frequency bands.
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View Resource for Switched Filter Banks

Milli-Cap®

Milli-Cap® braodband capacitors provide ultra-low loss, high-Q performance with very low inductance and high resonance.
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View Resource for Milli-Cap®

Opti-Cap®

Opti-Cap® broadband capacitors deliver ultra-low loss, resonance-free performance to 40GHz+ in compact, reliable designs.
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View Resource for Opti-Cap®

RF Crossover

Knowles’ RF crossover simplifies board design by enabling DC-to-40GHz signal routing in a compact surface-mount component.
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View Resource for RF Crossover

High Reliability Components for Satellite Communications

Knowles RF/microwave products deliver compact, reliable satellite communication solutions with stable performance.
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View Resource for High Reliability Components for Satellite Communications

RF/MW Filter Technologies

Knowles filter technologies deliver high-performance, compact RF solutions from VHF to V-band.
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View Resource for RF/MW Filter Technologies

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