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The Persides Chili combines three radios into an electronic support measures (ESM) system that fits in a backpack. With a frequency range from HF up to 3 GHz, the unit can listen, record, and locate the origin of raw transmissions from all manner of radios.
While this isn't particularly new technology, the fact that it can be run out of a backpack brings great flexibility for such a portable SigInt/ESM kit. For example, since the Chili is a manpack, it circumvents airworthyness requirements when used in an aircraft. A portable system would be impaired by a huge direction finding antenna, so Persides designed a 12" DF antenna that can be carried in the ruck along with the radio.
The system can be controlled from a laptop or a handheld controller depending on the mission mobility requirements. With a 22MHz wideband staring system, the unit can process thousands of signals simultaneously across a wide swath around the target frequency.
Persides was brave enough to display a prototype that is about three times the size of their planned production version. We noticed the Chili was in a customized, vented Karimore Predator rucksack and hope the $100,000 price tag includes the bag.
