**4. Multi-functional integrated circuits**

The trend to integrate several function in one MMICs is unavoidable given the low SWaP-C constraints of modern electronic systems for high-end applications. At the moment it is possible to realize a full T/R module using only two MMICs, each one realized in the appropriate semiconductor therefore leveraging its benefits and peculiarities [13], and possibly in the near future there will be an all-on-one multi-functional RF MMIC. **Figure 21** depicts a transmit/receive module diagram, very similar to the one described in Section 2.2, where the area delimited by dotted lines indicate the two multifunctional MMICs that fulfil all TRM functionalities. The two MMICs are the Single Chip Front End (SCFE) and the Core-Chip (CC). The prior is directly connected to the antenna, while the latter to the microwave back-end and the DSP sections. Red and blue arrows indicate the direction of Rx and Tx signal. In some cases, black lines, the signal travels in both direction according to transmit or receive mode.
