This paper presents an introduction to the researches in microwave photonics based packages and its application, a 973 project (No. 2012CB315600), which focuses on addressing new requirements for millimeter wave (MMW) system to work with higher frequency, wider bandwidth, larger dynamic range and longer distance of signal distribution. Its key scientific problems, main research contents and objectives are briefed, and some latest achievements by the project team, including generation of linear frequency modulation wave (LFMW), tunable optoelectronic oscillator (OEO) with lower phase noise, reconfigurable filter with higher Q value, time delay line with wider frequency range, down conversion with gain, and local oscillator (LO) transmission with stable phase, are introduced briefly.