News: Microelectronics
25 March 2026
Guerrilla RF launches 6–8.5GHz GRF2118 X-band LNA
Guerrilla RF Inc (GRF) of Greensboro, NC, USA — which develops and manufactures radio-frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) and monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) for wireless applications — has released the GRF2118, an ultra-low-noise X-band amplifier delivering what is claimed to be best-in-class noise figure performance across the 6.0–8.5GHz band. Targeting the most demanding receive applications in satellite communications, defense electronics and space-borne platforms, the GRF2118 establishes a new performance benchmark for COTS X-band LNA solutions, it is claimed.
The GRF2118’s 6–8.5GHz operating range is specifically aligned with the SatCom X-band spectrum — encompassing military satellite downlinks, commercial X-band VSAT, Earth observation downlinks, and TT&C bands for deep-space missions — as distinct from the higher-frequency radar X-band spectrum where transmit power and waveform performance are the dominant design drivers.
The GRF2118 supports two operating modes, giving system designers a single hardware solution that can be optimized for the demands of their specific application. In low-bias/low-current mode (3V/42mA), the GRF2118 achieves a 0.57dB noise figure with 25.5dB of gain at 7GHz — a combination that maximizes receive sensitivity in power-constrained applications including spaceborne platforms, portable satellite terminals, and CubeSat receivers. In high-bias/high-current mode (5V/79mA), the device delivers a 0.67dB noise figure with 26.1dB of gain, an output P1dB of 19.2dBm, and an OIP3 of 26.6dBm — providing superior linearity for ground terminals and defense receivers operating in dense, high-power signal environments.
Fabricated on a proven gallium arsenide (GaAs) pseudomorphic high-electron-mobility transistor (pHEMT) process and packaged in a compact 2.0mm x 2.0mm QFN-12, the GRF2118 requires no external input- or output-matching components, allowing engineers to achieve best-in-class SatCom X-band LNA performance with minimal board area and design complexity. Beyond satellite and defense applications, the GRF2118’s operating range also fully covers the licensed point-to-point microwave backhaul bands at 5.925–6.4GHz and 6.4–7.125GHz — making it a strong candidate for high-capacity backhaul radio receiver front ends. Additionally, the upper 6GHz spectrum covered by the GRF2118 is under active consideration by the ITU and regional regulatory bodies as a candidate band for future 6G cellular deployments, further expanding the device’s long-term market relevance as the wireless industry moves toward next-generation infrastructure development. As a COTS device, the GRF2118 gives programs of all sizes — from flagship military satellite ground terminals to commercial smallsat platforms and CubeSat designs — access to space- and defense-grade low-noise performance with the availability, cost structure, and design support of a high-volume commercial RFIC.
“X-band is one of the most performance-critical frequency bands in satellite and defense communications, and noise figure at the front end of the receive chain is the single most important parameter for system sensitivity,” says Jim Ahne, senior VP of marketing. “In its low-current mode, the GRF2118 delivers better than 0.6dB noise figure across the full SatCom X-band spectrum — with no external matching required — giving our customers a significant sensitivity advantage and a faster path to a working design,” he adds. “The new space economy is driving an unprecedented demand for high-performance, cost-effective COTS RF components that can meet the rigorous requirements of both commercial satellite platforms and traditional defense programs, and the GRF2118 was designed with exactly that market in mind. This is the kind of differentiated, high-performance COTS solution that Guerrilla RF was built to deliver.”
The GRF2118 is on display at the SATShow Week exhibition at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington DC (23–26 March). Guerrilla RF sales & marketing personnel are present at distributor Richardson RFPD’s booth 3131.
The GRF2118 datasheet is available for download at www.guerrilla-rf.com/products/detail/sku/GRF2118.
Guerrilla RF expands aerospace & defense focus with new SatCom initiative
