An active electronic steered antenna (AESA) circuit monitors bursts of a phased array that has a plurality of signal chains. Each signal chain therefore has a burst output for transmitting at least one burst. To monitor bursts, the AESA circuit has an input that is operably couplable with the burst output of at least one signal chain of the phased array. The input is configured to receive one or more bursts transmitted by the burst output(s) of the at least one signal chain. The AESA circuit also has a sample circuit operably coupled with the input and configured to sample the one or more bursts to produce one or more corresponding samples, and memory operably coupled with the sample circuit. The memory receives and stores the one or more samples. To provide access to the samples, the AESA circuit also has a memory interface.