A receiver, such as a miniaturized microwave-photonic coherent receiver (MMPR) is disclosed. The receiver includes an antenna to output an electrical RF signal received on a section of the antenna, a laser to produce an optical signal, a photonic modulator to receive the optical signal and the electrical RF signal and produce an EO-RF signal and to receive the optical signal and an electrical LO signal and produce an EO-LO signal, a signal combiner to provide a combined EO-RF and EO-LO signal and a photodiode to receive the combined signal and produce an IF signal. A method of detecting an object using the MMPR includes receiving an electrical RF signal corresponding to the object, outputting the electrical RF signal to a photonic modulator, modulating the electrical RF signal onto an optical carrier, demodulating the electrical RF signal to produce an IF signal and processing the IF signal.