Frequency estimation plays an important role in many digital signal processing applications. Many areas have benefited from the discovery of the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) decades ago and from the relatively recent advances in modern spectral estimation techniques within the last few decades. As processor and programmable logic technologies advance, unconventional methods for rapid frequency estimation in white Gaussian noise should be considered for real time applications. In this thesis, a practical hardware implementation that combines two known frequency estimation techniques is presented, implemented, and characterized. The combined implementation, using the well known FFT and a less well known modern spectral analysis method known as the Direct State Space (DSS) algorithm, is used to demonstrate and promote application of modern spectral methods in various real time applications, including Electronic Counter Measure (ECM) techniques.