Armor Embedded Metamaterial Antenna

A team led by NextGen Aeronautics Inc. has teamed with the University of Arizona to develop a redundant, reconfigurable antenna that is embedded in armor plates for a vehicle. The planned work builds upon the team’s extensive prior experience in conformal load-bearing antenna structures (CLAS), antenna design, and metamaterials. The proposed antenna is a combination of concepts that have already been designed and tested at UofA, and have proven their capacity to operate under the determined conditions while meeting solicitation requirements. At the end of Phase I base period, we will have simulations of various antenna designs, configurations, and materials pointing to a combination that works optimally with the composite armor structure. This research will also determine the frequencies, bandwidth and waveforms to which this technology is most applicable. Further efforts in the Phase I option will include fabricating a mockup antenna, without the ceramic armor cover, as a demonstration of how the antenna will be integrated into the armor and vehicle.