RFE

What RFE does

RFE, Inc. is a privately held Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) of custom high-performance microwave and millimeter-wave modules, headquartered in Fremont, California. The company originated as Spinnaker Microwave in 1991 and was reorganized under the RFE name in 2014 through a management-led acquisition that retained all design IP, capital equipment, inventory, and personnel. RFE designs and manufactures RF/Microwave components operating across 0.5 to 80+ GHz, with a portfolio that spans frequency synthesizers, frequency converters/receivers, voltage controlled oscillators, waveform generators, custom RF Integrated Microwave Assemblies (IMAs), and a 77 GHz FMCW radar module for automotive ADAS.

The business is built on a nimble, custom-engineering model: customers engage RFE directly (in the U.S., through regional manufacturer's representative firms with relationships into tier-one defense primes; internationally, through resellers familiar with export controls). Revenue is generated from custom design and build-to-print contract manufacturing, ODM/OEM module sales, and ongoing legacy product support including reverse engineering of discontinued components for defense and scientific customers. The customer base is heavily weighted to U.S. Department of Defense contractors (BAE Systems, Raytheon, L3Harris, Sierra Nevada, Textron Systems, Anaren Microwave), with additional exposure to automotive radar/ADAS partners (BGM Engineering, Mobile Technology Solutions, dSPACE, Innovative Technical Systems) and scientific remote sensing (Radiometrics). RFE holds ITAR registration, a CAGE code, RoHS compliance, and FCC certification for its 77 GHz radar module, and is pursuing AS9100/ISO 9001:2015 certification to deepen aerospace qualification.

Recent strategic activity reflects a deliberate push into SatCom and electronic warfare/SIGINT adjacencies, with four product launches in 2026 (K-Band Down-Converter, Ka-Band Up-Converter, Direct Digital Synthesizer, and Indirect Broadband Miniature Synthesizer) targeting rugged military aircraft and broadband radar applications. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, but the business model rests on custom-quoted projects, smaller minimum order quantities than larger RF primes, and integrated in-house design, manufacturing, tuning, and certification, which the company positions as its principal differentiator against larger, less flexible competitors.

Name

RFE

Legal name

RFE, Inc.

Website

https://rfe-mw.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RFE is a privately held Fremont, California-based Original Design Manufacturer of custom microwave and millimeter-wave modules (0.5–80+ GHz) serving U.S. defense primes, automotive radar/ADAS developers, and scientific remote sensing customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

RF/Microwave Components

NAICS

Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing (33422), Other Communications Equipment Manufacturing (334290)

SIC

Radio & Tv Broadcasting & Communications Equipment (3663)

akta.pro primary industry

RF Front-End Modules (FEMs) & Integrated RF Modules (HDAHAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

RF & Wireless Components/Modules (RF front-end, antennas, industrial wireless modules) (IMAGAJAG)

Keywords

• RF microwave components
• Frequency synthesizers
• Microwave converters
• FMCW radar modules
• RF integrated microwave assemblies

Headquarters

HQ city

Fremont

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom RF/Microwave Module Manufacturing: Design and manufacture of custom RF/Microwave modules to customer specifications, including frequency synthesizers, converters, oscillators, and custom assemblies.
2. ODM/OEM Product Sales: Sale of standard and modified RF/Microwave products from their product portfolio to commercial and defense customers.
3. Contract Manufacturing Services: Build-to-print and contract manufacturing services including hybrid assembly, testing, and evaluation services.
4. Legacy Product Support: Ongoing support and manufacturing of legacy RF/Microwave products including reverse engineering and re-engineering services for discontinued components.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

RFE is an Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) that designs and manufactures custom high-performance miniaturized RF/Microwave and millimeter-wave modules, including frequency synthesizers, frequency converters, 77 GHz FMCW radar modules, voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs), and custom RF Integrated Microwave Assemblies (IMAs). The company serves defense, aerospace, industrial, scientific, communications, robotics, and IoT customers from its full manufacturing and testing facility in Fremont, California, and also provides build-to-print and contract manufacturing services.

Product overview

RFE is an Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) of custom high-performance miniaturized microwave and millimeter-wave modules. The company operates from a full manufacturing and testing facility in California's Silicon Valley, providing both commercial and defense industries with critical microwave componentry since 1991. RFE's product portfolio includes Frequency Synthesizers, Frequency Converters/Receivers, 77 GHz Configurable FMCW Radar Modules, Oscillators (including legacy VCOs), and Custom/Specialty RF Assemblies. Recently launched products include the K-Band Down-Converter and Ka-Band Up-Converter for SatCom applications, the Direct Digital Synthesizer (100MHz-22GHz), and the Indirect Broadband Miniature Synthesizer (0.5-20GHz). RFE also offers build-to-print and contract manufacturing services for the defense, aerospace, and commercial markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Frequency Synthesizers Microwave and millimeter-wave frequency synthesizer modules for generating precise RF signals across various frequency ranges for defense and commercial systems.
• Frequency Converters / Receivers
• 77 GHz Configurable FMCW Radar Module

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 100 automotive radar test systems fielded with major international OEM with zero returns
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Mobile Technology Solutions (MTS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRFE partnered with BGM Engineering to form Mobile Technology Solutions (MTS), a company focused on developing radar-based Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) products. This partnership combined RFE's radar expertise with BGM's product safety design experience, spawning a new company dedicated to vehicle safety systems. Michael Maslana organized and formed this Detroit-Silicon Valley technology partnership.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Marki Microwave: Privately held designer/manufacturer of high-performance RF/microwave components and mm-wave modules (mixers, multipliers, converters, baluns) serving test & measurement, defense, and commercial customers. Comparable in technical profile and custom-hybrid model, though more T&M-centric than RFE.
• CTT Inc. Specialty designer and manufacturer of RF/microwave components — amplifiers, frequency multipliers, converters, and integrated assemblies — primarily for defense electronics and EW. Closely comparable niche ODM with similar size and custom-build orientation to RFE.
• Planar Monolithics Industries (PMI): Custom designer/manufacturer of RF/microwave components and integrated microwave assemblies (IMAs) — frequency converters, synthesizers, amplifiers, filters — for defense, EW, and aerospace customers. The closest in scale, custom ODM model, and product portfolio to RFE in this peer set.

Broad incumbents

• Mercury Systems: Public defense electronics company that designs and manufactures RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave components and subsystems for defense and aerospace primes — directly comparable in serving the same customer set (BAE, Raytheon, L3Harris) with custom signal-processing and RF modules, but at much larger scale and broader scope than RFE.
• Herley Industries (Ultra Maritime): Ultra Electronics subsidiary historically known for custom RF/microwave subsystems, frequency sources, and converters for electronic warfare, radar, and missile programs. Directly comparable in product mix and customer base (U.S. and allied defense primes) to RFE, with a broader platform footprint.
• Crane Aerospace & Electronics: Division of Crane Co. supplying RF/microwave components, frequency converters, synthesizers, and custom integrated microwave assemblies (IMAs) to defense and aerospace OEMs. Highly comparable product categories (converters, IMAs, MIL-spec assemblies) to RFE, but operates as a much larger incumbent with broader portfolio.
• API Technologies (now part of CTS): Historically a defense-focused manufacturer of RF/microwave filters, converters, and integrated modules for EW and radar — directly comparable product portfolio to RFE. Now operating under CTS Corp, so larger incumbent scale.
• MACOM Technology Solutions: Public semiconductor company producing GaN, GaAs, and InP RF/microwave/mm-wave components and modules, including frequency converters, synthesizers, and integrated assemblies. Comparable at the RF module and IC level for the same SatCom, radar, and EW end markets; however, MACOM is a much larger catalog/semi-tier vendor rather than a custom ODM.
• Mini-Circuits: Established manufacturer of RF/microwave components, modules, and sub-assemblies (mixers, amplifiers, frequency multipliers, synthesizers) for commercial and defense customers. Overlaps with RFE's catalog-and-custom hybrid model, although Mini-Circuits skews toward higher-volume catalog products versus RFE's custom-ODM focus.

Others

• Anaren Microwave (subsidiary of TTM Technologies): Former independent RF/microwave component maker (and an explicit RFE customer) now part of TTM's aerospace & defense segment. Included as a customer/comparator that operates in the same RF/microwave component space with overlapping product lines in defense.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rfe-inc

Compliance5 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 RFE