What NuWaves Engineering does

NuWaves Engineering (legally NuWaves RF Solutions, DBA NuWaves Engineering) is a Veteran-Owned Small Business headquartered in Middletown, Ohio, founded in 2000–2001. The company designs and manufactures RF and microwave solid-state electronics — power amplifiers, bidirectional amplifiers, filters, low-noise amplifiers, frequency converters, RF front-ends, and avionics data bus protection devices — using GaN, GaAs, and LDMOS transistor technologies. All engineering, prototyping, manufacturing, and testing (including thermal-vacuum testing for space-qualified hardware) are performed in-house at an AS9100:2016 Rev D certified, ITAR- and DFARS-compliant facility. NuWaves holds 13 registered trademarks spanning its product families (NuPower™, NuFilter™, HILNA™, ConvertaWave™, Vegas-S™, etc.) and has licensed Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) technology for its avionics cybersecurity line.

The company's go-to-market is enterprise field sales to the U.S. Department of Defense, DoD Prime Contractors, government agencies, and high-end industrial customers, augmented by a domestic and international network of sales representatives and resellers. Same-day shipping on in-stock COTS products and GSA Contract #47QSWA24D000V support defense procurement tempo. Revenue streams are: (1) Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) RF and microwave product hardware sales; (2) Custom RF design and engineering services spanning concept to production; and (3) AS9100-certified contract manufacturing of circuit card assemblies and electromechanical integrations. Customer engagements include 600+ frequency converter units delivered to a major defense contractor for electronic warfare, 350+ refurbished units for DoD training instrumentation, "several hundred" NuPower 12B01A amplifiers integrated into a top-tier UAV platform, and custom satellite-terminal RF front-ends for Viasat IFF systems and Rugged Logic.

NuWaves has expanded beyond its UAV/datalink roots into space-qualified RF products (LEO/MEO/GEO satellites, CubeSats, TT&C) for multipaction-tested applications, avionics cybersecurity via Vegas-S and Vampire data diodes, and RF medical solutions (ablation and microwave generators). Leadership is held by President and CEO Jeff Wells, and the firm employs 51–100 people.

Name

NuWaves Engineering

Legal name

NuWaves RF Solutions

Website

https://nuwaves.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

NuWaves Engineering is a Veteran-Owned Small Business that designs and manufactures RF and microwave solid-state electronics — power amplifiers, filters, converters, and avionics cybersecurity data diodes — for the U.S. Department of Defense, defense prime contractors, and aerospace customers, with in-house concept-to-production engineering services and contract manufacturing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

RF and Microwave Components

NAICS

Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing (334220), Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (3344)

SIC

Radio & Tv Broadcasting & Communications Equipment (3663)

akta.pro primary industry

Military Power Supplies, RF/Microwave Components & Ruggedized Electronics (IMABAGAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

RF Transceivers & RFIC SoCs (Cellular/Wi‑Fi/Bluetooth) (HDAHAMAE), Microwave & RF Signal Chain ICs (Mixers/Detectors/Attenuators) (HDAHAMAL)

Keywords

• RF power amplifiers
• Microwave filters
• Bidirectional amplifiers
• Defense electronics manufacturing
• RF design services

Headquarters

HQ city

Middletown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) RF & Microwave Products: Sale of standardized RF and microwave products including power amplifiers, bidirectional amplifiers, filters, frequency converters, low noise amplifiers, RF front-ends, and cybersecurity products. Same day shipping available for in-stock products. Products are sold to DoD, defense contractors, government, and industrial customers via direct sales, sales representatives, resellers, and GSA contract procurement.
2. Custom RF Design and Engineering Services: Engineering design services including RF & microwave amplifier design, RF transmitter & transponder design, RF receiver & front-end design, frequency converter and transverter design, custom RF filter design, embedded design solutions, range telemetry tracking systems, and system sustainment & modernization. Services span from concept through production, entirely in-house.
3. Contract Manufacturing Services: High-end contract manufacturing of circuit card assemblies (CCA), electromechanical assemblies, and top-level integrations for DoD and aerospace customers. Services include quick-turn prototyping, LRIP (Low Rate Initial Production), testing (environmental, RF test screen room, MIL-STD testing), and full production acceptance testing. Includes in-house machine shop, wiring harness assembly, and conformal coating capabilities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NuWaves Engineering designs and manufactures RF and microwave solid-state electronics products including power amplifiers, bidirectional amplifiers, low noise amplifiers, frequency converters, RF filters, RF front-ends, and avionics cybersecurity data diodes, in addition to providing custom RF design engineering services and contract manufacturing for the Department of Defense, aerospace, and high-end industrial customers. All design, prototyping, manufacturing, and testing is performed in-house from concept to production.

Product overview

NuWaves Engineering is an RF and microwave engineering company offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services for aerospace, defense, and industrial applications. The product portfolio centers on the NuPower series of solid-state power amplifiers (5W-125W, VHF through Ku-band), NuPower Xtender bidirectional amplifiers for communication range extension, NuFilter RF filters (COTS and custom up to 20 GHz), HILNA low noise amplifiers, and ConvertaWave frequency converters. Additional products include RF front-ends, the NuSwitch RF switch line, and cybersecurity products (Vegas-S and Vampire data diodes for MIL-STD-1553 and ARINC 429 avionics bus protection). The company complements its product line with comprehensive engineering design services (custom amplifier, filter, transmitter, and receiver design), contract manufacturing (AS9100D certified), system sustainment and modernization, range telemetry tracking systems, embedded design solutions, and RF medical solutions. All products are designed and manufactured in the USA with a focus on SWaP-optimized, ruggedized designs for military and defense applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NuPower™: Solid-state RF and microwave power amplifiers product line featuring GaN technology
• NuPower Xtender™
• NuFilter™
• HILNA™
• HiPerTuner™
• NuCeptor™
• X-Ceptor™
• ConvertaWave™
• VAMPIRE™
• VEGAS™
• NuSwitch™
• Power Amplifier Linearizer Module (PALM)

Products and services

• NuPower Series RF Power Amplifiers Solid-state RF and microwave power amplifiers with GaN technology covering VHF through Ku-band frequencies (30 MHz to 15 GHz), ranging from 5W to 125W output power, designed for military, aerospace, UAV, and satellite communications applications.
• NuPower Xtender Series Bidirectional Amplifiers Solid-state RF and microwave bidirectional amplifiers providing both transmit and receive gain in a compact form factor, covering VHF through Ku-band frequencies with up to 50W RF output power, for extending communication range of half-duplex transceivers.
• NuFilter Series RF Filters Commercial off-the-shelf and custom RF/microwave filters including bandpass, lowpass, highpass, diplexer, and triplexer designs up to 20 GHz, with multipaction-tested models for space applications rated up to 800W.
• HILNA Series Low Noise Amplifiers High Intercept Low Noise Amplifiers providing low noise figure, high gain, high linearity, and broadband performance across HF through Ku-band frequencies for military and aerospace applications including SIGINT and ELINT receivers.
• ConvertaWave Series Frequency Converters RF frequency converters (upconverters and downconverters) enabling communication systems to operate at different frequencies, covering UHF through S-band with high dynamic range and programmable IF bandwidths.
• RF Front-End Modules RF front-end modules including GPS RF front ends, VHF/UHF SPDT RF switches (NuSwitch), and broadband preselectors (HiPerTuner) for signal conditioning and routing in communication systems.
• Vegas-S MIL-STD-1553 Data Diode Physical firewall data diode providing hardened security for MIL-STD-1553 avionics data bus, enabling isolation of main bus from bus monitors or systems under test for enhanced safety of flight.
• Vampire MIL-STD-1553 Anomaly Detection and Data Recording

Quantifiable outcome

• Deliveries of 600+ frequency converter units to a major defense contractor for electronic warfare applications
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature13 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and moderate.

• Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNuWaves leverages technology developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) for its cybersecurity product line. The Vegas-S data diode and Vampire anomaly detection products are based on AFRL-developed technology, representing a significant technology licensing/partnership that enabled NuWaves to enter the avionics cybersecurity market.
• ViasatmoderateTechnology or IntegrationNuWaves provides its ConvertaWave2 RF downconverter to support the Viasat VRG-1000 Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) Flight Environment Generator. The downconverter converts L-band operating frequency down to 70 MHz IF, enabling the VRG-1000 to operate wirelessly. Viasat is described as a private sector partner and national asset to the U.S. DoD.
• Rugged LogicmoderateTechnology or IntegrationNuWaves developed a custom Satellite Terminal RF Front End for Rugged Logic, featuring an L-band power amplifier, low-noise LNAs, high-isolation diplexer, and band-reject filters. This custom development served as the foundation for a growing business relationship with Rugged Logic, exemplifying NuWaves' strategy of engineering lasting partnerships through customized innovations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• L3Harris Technologies: L3Harris is a large defense prime across EW, SIGINT, avionics, and space — NuWaves' customer and indirect competitor, as it both procures RF subsystems like NuWaves' and competes with vertically integrated in-house RF capabilities in the same programs.
• Qorvo: Qorvo is a major GaAs/GaN RF semiconductor supplier with a Defense & Aerospace business producing power amplifiers, filters, and front-ends for phased-array radar, EW, and datalinks — a broader-portfolio incumbent adjacent to NuWaves' module-level products.
• Comtech Telecommunications: Comtech's defense segment designs RF amplifiers, SATCOM front-ends, and frequency converters for DoD satellite and terrestrial communications, overlapping NuWaves' ConvertaWave frequency converters and space-qualified RF front-ends.
• MACOM Technology Solutions: MACOM supplies GaN-on-SiC RF power transistors, MMICs, and components used in defense radar, EW, and communications systems; it operates one level upstream of NuWaves (chip vs. module) but competes for the same GaN amplifier sockets in defense programs.

Others

• Pasternack: Pasternack is a leading catalog supplier of RF/microwave components, cables, and amplifiers used by defense integrators; not a competitor for custom/mission-qualified hardware but addresses adjacent prototyping and lab needs for the same engineering buyer.

Direct peers

• Mercury Systems: Mercury Systems designs and manufactures mission-critical RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave subsystems and modules for defense and aerospace primes, directly overlapping NuWaves' NuPower amplifier, NuFilter, and frequency converter lines for EW, SIGINT, and radar applications.
• Aethercomm: Aethercomm is a small, defense-focused manufacturer of solid-state RF and microwave power amplifiers, including GaN-based SSPAs up to Ku-band for military UAVs, EW, and datalink systems — the same SWaP-constrained niche that NuWaves' NuPower series addresses.
• Narda-MITEQ: Narda-MITEQ manufactures RF/microwave components, amplifiers, frequency converters, and filters for defense and aerospace EW/SIGINT applications, closely paralleling NuWaves' combination of LNAs, filters, downconverters, and front-end modules.
• Empower RF Systems: Empower RF Systems builds high-power solid-state RF amplifier subsystems and pulsed amplifiers for EW, radar, and communications — a directly comparable product line to NuWaves' NuPower SSPA family in both technology (GaN) and end markets.
• Ultra Electronics / Herley: Ultra's Herley and EW divisions produce microwave components, integrated RF assemblies, and EW subsystems for DoD platforms — directly comparable to NuWaves' flight-qualified RF hardware in UAV datalinks and electronic warfare.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NuWaves
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nuwaves-engineering

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NuWaves Engineering