V/W Band Airborne Radomes

ABSTRACT: In order to obtain increased bandwidth, airborne satellite communication systems are planned for V/W band. The sufficiency of the half-wave solid designs, thin skin A-sandwich designs, and C-sandwich designs fails at V/W band, where the wave length decreases to nearly 0.125. The object of the Phase I effort for a V/W band airborne radome is twofold: first to determine wall designs that provide acceptable: transmission, cross polarization, stiffness, toughness, weight, and cost and second to fabricate sample coupons that demonstrate such wall designs are realizable with available materials . The thickness, stiffness, and bird strike resistance of the designs for V/W band radomes must be the maximum possible with an electrical thickness that is consistent with good transmission and low cross polarization. Flat panel model calculations are presented that improve the electrical performance of the half wave, quartz laminate skin A-sandwich which is hare defined to be the base line. The improved designs are denoted Multi-Layer #1, #2, and #3. These are described by flat panel transmission and cross polarization calculations, total thickness, areal weight ( PSF), and modulus-moment product (EI) which characterizes stiffness. The objective is to provide an acceptable combination of electrical performance, stiffness, and weight. BENEFIT: The design strategy and the materials proposed for the V/W band radome design are applicable to all radomes that must operate at millimeter wave frequencies. Low dielectric, light weight, low cost materials become particularly important for the emerging millimeter wave, commercial aircraft and the more mature, military millimeter wave market. Formal acceptance of new materials for airborne applications (commercial and now probably military) for FAA structural certification requires extensive data, time, and cost. The structural data acquired by the proposed effort is directed toward that goal.