Deepwave Boosts F-16 Fleet Survivability with Enhanced Cognitive Sensing

PHILADELPHIA, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Deepwave announced today the delivery of Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) units of its AI edge platform for the Containerized Algorithm Deployment System (CADS) . By integrating Deepwave's high-performance hardware and software into CADS, fourth-generation aircraft gain real-time environment awareness capabilities previously reserved for the most advanced airborne fleets.

CADS equips electronic warfare (EW) systems with modern, cognitive sensing to identify and prioritize complex threats at the tactical edge. Deepwave partnered with Raytheon, an RTX  business, to create CADS. The key components include edge data parsing software, high-performance edge computing software, and edge AI hardware. Initially designed to provide AI capability upgrades for Raytheon's fielded EW platforms, the CADS framework is currently deployed by the U.S. Air National Guard on its F-16 platform.

"To maintain our edge, we must effectively partner with innovators who can move at the speed of technology," said Lt Col Dustin Brown, USAF. "Our collaboration with Deepwave is a prime example of this new paradigm, demonstrating how we can successfully integrate cutting-edge commercial AI solutions to solve urgent operational needs and enhance the survivability of our pilots."

Deepwave's platform delivers advanced AI and high-performance computing for edge analysis. The AIR2302 is the latest evolution of Deepwave's radio frequency (RF) AI edge hardware, designed as a modular, plug-in upgrade to bridge the gap between legacy hardware and modern AI systems. When paired with CADS, Deepwave's AirStack software and AIR2302  hardware provide advanced threat detection and sensor fusion capabilities previously not available on fourth-generation aircraft, such as the F-16.

"This delivery marks a significant shift from experimental AI to operational reality at the edge," said John Ferguson, Deepwave CEO. "By providing a software-defined path to cognitive electronic warfare, we are ensuring that fourth-generation fleets remain effective in an increasingly contested RF spectrum."

While AirStack software and AIR2302 hardware are being deployed on fourth-generation aircraft via integration with CADS, Deepwave's RF AI edge solutions can scale to modern aircraft platforms.

About Deepwave . Deepwave turns RF data into real-time insights. We provide intelligent RF data and infrastructure solutions, and our platform makes it easy to extract intelligence from RF signals to inform automated systems and workflows. Deepwave's software and hardware power next-generation spectrum intelligence for defense, infrastructure, and telecommunications. Learn more at deepwave.ai/cads

Media Contact:
Erik Hoffman
Director Business Development
Deepwave 
[email protected]

SOURCE Deepwave