Where Efficiency Constraints Determine System Architecture
Phased-array satellite terminals, 5G massive MIMO base stations, and defense front-ends all face the same constraint: power amplifier efficiency determines aperture size, thermal solution mass, and primary power budget. The FA-2400 addresses that constraint at Ku through Ka band.
Phased-Array Satellite Terminals: EIRP per Watt
LEO constellation ground terminals require EIRP above 45 dBW on Ku-band uplinks while the terminal primary power is constrained by solar cell aperture or vehicle power allocation. At 35% PA efficiency (GaAs), achieving 45 dBW from a 512-element phased array at 14.5 GHz requires 26 W DC per element, or 13.3 kW total DC power draw. At 62% PA efficiency, the same EIRP uses 15 W per element and 7.7 kW DC total. The 5.6 kW reduction changes the solar panel area requirement and removes a thermal rejection stage.
The FA-2401 targets this use case directly. At 14.5 GHz with 24 V drain supply, it delivers greater than 5 W output at greater than 62% drain efficiency from a 4 x 6 mm QFN footprint. 512 elements on a 56 x 56 cm aperture draw less than 7.7 kW at full EIRP. The thermal resistance of 8.5 degC/W enables passive spreading to the panel structure without a dedicated liquid cooling loop.
Dense Deployment at n257, n258, n260, and n261
5G mmWave base stations deploy up to 256 PA elements at 26-28 GHz per sector. At typical tower electricity costs, PA efficiency is the primary driver of 10-year total cost of ownership. For an operator deploying 1000 28 GHz nodes, a 26-percentage-point efficiency improvement from the FA-2402 reduces electricity cost by approximately $24 million per year, before accounting for reduced cooling infrastructure.
The FA-2403 covers 27-40 GHz with a design target of greater than 52% drain efficiency, addressing the 28 GHz band directly in a bare-die or SMT form factor compatible with existing 5G base station PA tile geometries. It supports all 5G NR FR2 bands at Ka-band including n257 (26.5-29.5 GHz), n258 (24.25-27.5 GHz), n260 (37-40 GHz), and n261 (27.5-28.35 GHz). For operators with 26 GHz n258 deployments, the FA-2402 (17.7-21.2 GHz, greater than 58% drain efficiency) addresses the lower portion of the Ka-band mmWave spectrum.
For ultra-dense indoor 5G deployments, the combination of reduced DC draw and passive thermal management eliminates the forced-air cooling requirement that prevents flush-mount ceiling installation. The FA-2402's 12 degC/W Rth allows heat spreading through standard ceiling tile infrastructure.
Phased Arrays for EW, Radar, and Satcom-on-the-Move
Electronic warfare apertures face the most demanding combination of PA requirements: broadband frequency agility across Ku to Ka band, high instantaneous output power, low probability of intercept duty cycles, and SWaP constraints driven by vehicle or aircraft integration.
The FA-2401 and FA-2403's 12-40 GHz combined coverage allows a single PA design to serve radar cross-section augmentation and uplink SATCOM-on-the-move applications without a frequency-specific assembly. The breakdown voltage above 150 V provides drain bias headroom for pulsed-mode operation at peak powers exceeding CW ratings by a factor of 1.5-2x depending on duty cycle.
Export control classification is application-dependent. Contact Falcomm before specifying the FA-2400 for platforms or customers subject to International Traffic in Arms Regulations or Export Administration Regulations review requirements.
Ready to evaluate the FA-2401?
Request the FA-2401 datasheet or contact the Falcomm applications team to discuss integration requirements for your aperture design.