IN Brief:
- Aerospace, defence, and satellite operators are facing higher data demands while many legacy platforms still rely on travelling wave tube amplifiers.
- Filtronic’s solid-state power amplifiers are designed to deliver higher reliability and throughput in TWTA-compatible form factors.
- The shift to SSPAs could help operators modernise legacy systems beyond 2026 without full platform redesigns.
For decades, travelling wave tube amplifiers (TWTAs) have powered satellite and aerospace communications. They have delivered dependable performance in mission-critical environments. However, as data demands soar and connectivity requirements evolve, their limitations are becoming increasingly clear.
Enter solid-state power amplifiers (SSPAs), a technology poised to transform the way legacy platforms operate. Filtronic is leading this transition with high-frequency SSPAs engineered to deliver next-generation performance in a TWTA-compatible form factor.
We spoke with the company’s Chief Technology Officer, Tudor Williams, to understand why this shift matters and how it is enabling operators to modernise without costly redesigns.
Why are solid-state power amplifiers becoming essential for modern missions?
Today’s missions demand high-bandwidth, low-latency connectivity. TWTAs are complex to manufacture, bulky, and require frequent maintenance. As operators push for more efficient, reliable systems, the case for moving to solid-state technology becomes compelling.
Unlike TWTAs, SSPAs eliminate the need for high-voltage power supplies, simplifying system design and enhancing safety. These benefits translate into lower maintenance costs, extended operational life, and the ability to support the high-throughput connectivity essential for tomorrow’s missions.
SSPAs deliver a step-change in linear performance. They’re inherently more robust, have longer lifespan, and they’re easier to maintain. For operators under pressure to deliver more capability within tight budgets and timelines, this is a game-changer.
How can SSPAs be integrated into legacy platforms without major redesigns?
One of the biggest challenges in modernising space and defence systems is the cost and complexity of redesigning entire platforms. Filtronic has addressed this head-on by engineering SSPAs in a TWTA-compatible form factor, enabling operators to upgrade without major structural changes.
A lesson we very quickly learned is that while solid-state reliability is reshaping expectations, form-factor and fit are critical. That’s because while legacy systems can typically accommodate higher power, they can’t necessarily accommodate larger hardware. Active thermal management becomes essential to performance.
Filtronic’s SSPAs are designed with integration in mind. We’ve focused on thermal management, ruggedisation, and qualification standards to ensure these amplifiers meet the stringent requirements of space and defence environments. The result is a solution that extends operational life, reduces maintenance costs, and supports the high-throughput links essential for tomorrow’s missions.
While TWTAs represent a single point of failure, Filtronic’s design integrates up to 32 monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) into a single SSPA. That means built-in redundancy and graceful degradation for its customers.
How do SSPAs help future-proof space and defence platforms beyond 2026?
As space and defence programmes look ahead to 2026 and beyond, it is clear the shift from TWTAs to SSPAs takes us well beyond the incremental improvement of existing systems. It becomes a strategic move that future-proofs platforms ready for the connectivity challenges of the next decade.
SSPAs represent a future-proof investment. They enable platforms to handle growing data demands without the expense and complexity of a full system redesign.
What broader benefits do SSPAs deliver beyond performance alone?
The transition from TWTAs to SSPAs allows us to democratise access to space-based connectivity. In turn, that opens up new possibilities.
The implications also go beyond performance. By reducing size and weight, SSPAs free up valuable space and mass for other mission-critical systems. Critically, their improved reliability reduces the risk of in-service failures, which can be costly and disruptive in space and defence operations.
Innovation is essential, but so is pragmatism. Our goal is to deliver solutions that meet the performance expectations of the future while respecting the realities of today’s platforms. SSPAs do exactly that. By combining next-generation performance with legacy compatibility, we’re helping operators to bridge the gap between yesterday’s systems and tomorrow’s requirements.
This article originally appeared in the January/February 2026 edition of IN Electronics. Read the full issue here.
