VIAVI T/Rx System Selected for US Army Test Range Modernisation

VIAVI T/Rx System has been selected by the US Army’s Threat Systems Management Office (TSMO) to help modernise electromagnetic environment testing at military ranges opening access to private-sector technology developers. The software-defined transceiver will enable test operators to reproduce complex radio-frequency conditions used to evaluate drones, counter-drone systems and interceptor technologies.

Announced by VIAVI Solutions on October 13, 2026, the selection supports the US Army’s Test Range Private Industry Initiative, which is intended to expand commercial access to five military test facilities. The programme aims to give developers more opportunities to test emerging defence technologies under realistic conditions and accelerate their development.

As autonomous systems and electronic warfare capabilities become increasingly important in modern defence, realistic testing of the electromagnetic spectrum is a critical part of assessing how equipment performs in contested environments.

VIAVI T/Rx System Supports US Army Range Modernisation

The US Army initiative is designed to make selected test ranges available to commercial developers working on drones, counter-drone technologies, long-range fires and low-cost interceptors. Access to these facilities can help companies evaluate prototypes and identify technical limitations before deploying systems in operational environments.

VIAVI’s T/Rx system will provide a significant part of the electromagnetic spectrum environment required for these tests. It can generate and collect radio-frequency signals, allowing range operators to recreate complex conditions that may affect communications, sensing and electronic systems.

The selection also reflects an effort to broaden participation in defence innovation. According to the announcement, the initiative is intended to allow companies without existing government contracts to access range infrastructure, potentially opening testing opportunities to a wider group of technology developers.

VIAVI T/Rx System Recreates Contested Electromagnetic Conditions

Modern military equipment often operates in environments where multiple radio-frequency signals, interference and electronic warfare activity can affect system performance. Testing equipment under simplified conditions may not reveal how it will respond when those factors occur together.

The T/Rx is designed to reproduce complex electromagnetic scenarios on demand. Its capabilities include signal generation, collection, monitoring, recording and analysis, allowing test operators to construct representative conditions for evaluating equipment.

The system can generate different waveforms, frequency-agile emitters and multi-signal scenarios. These capabilities can help developers examine how their equipment responds to changing electromagnetic conditions during controlled testing.

Such testing is relevant to unmanned aerial systems and counter-drone technologies, which may depend on radio-frequency links, navigation signals and sensors. The ability to recreate challenging conditions can help engineers identify weaknesses and assess system resilience before field deployment.

VIAVI T/Rx System Combines Signal Generation and Collection

The T/Rx is a compact, rugged software-defined transceiver designed for deployment in fixed facilities and field environments. Its architecture combines transmitting and receiving functions in a single unit, allowing test teams to create and observe electromagnetic conditions using the same platform.

VIAVI’s published specifications list two independent receivers and two transmitters, with an operating frequency range of 1 MHz to 18 GHz and up to 400 MHz of instantaneous signal bandwidth per transmitter and receiver.

The system is designed to support programmable frequencies, gain settings, bandwidth and signal waveforms. It can also store and replay signals, helping teams examine test results and reproduce selected conditions across evaluation sessions.

Its modular architecture supports integration into different test-range configurations and platforms. The company also describes network-based control and options for operation using conventional power sources or batteries, allowing the equipment to be deployed in a range of environments.

VIAVI T/Rx System Supports Drone and Counter-Drone Development

The Army’s range initiative is aimed at helping developers evaluate emerging defence systems in conditions that more closely resemble contested environments.

For drone developers, testing can help reveal how communications, navigation and other electronic subsystems respond to interference or changing signal conditions. Counter-drone developers also need to evaluate their technologies against representative threats and assess how systems behave when multiple electronic signals are present.

VIAVI said its T/Rx system supported an electromagnetic unreliability test at Camp Grayling in September 2026. The company said the exercise reproduced complex electromagnetic conditions designed to reflect electronic warfare challenges observed in Ukraine.

The test illustrates how programmable electromagnetic environments can support the evaluation of emerging systems. However, performance outcomes will depend on the specific test design, the equipment being assessed and the conditions created by range operators.

VIAVI T/Rx System Reflects Growing Demand for Realistic Defence Testing

The selection comes as defence organisations seek faster ways to evaluate new technologies, including autonomous systems and counter-drone capabilities. Commercial developers can bring new designs to market rapidly, but they still need access to appropriate facilities and testing infrastructure to validate performance.

The Test Range Private Industry Initiative is intended to help bridge that gap by opening designated facilities to a broader set of companies. Providing realistic electromagnetic conditions is one part of making those ranges useful for testing systems that may encounter interference and electronic threats in the field.

For VIAVI, the selection expands the role of its test and measurement technology in military and aerospace applications. The company develops systems for analysing and managing radio-frequency environments, alongside solutions for communications networks and other critical infrastructure.

The selection does not, by itself, establish the full financial value or duration of the engagement. Its significance lies in the role the T/Rx is expected to play in providing realistic electromagnetic conditions for the Army’s expanded testing programme.

As access to test infrastructure becomes an important factor in defence innovation, systems that can generate, record and analyse complex electromagnetic environments are likely to remain an essential part of technology validation. VIAVI’s selection positions its T/Rx platform within that effort as the US Army expands opportunities for commercial developers to test next-generation defence systems.