Extremely Wideband Antenna for Airborne and Land Mobile Communications Systems

Joint Forces interoperability systems such as the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) require antennas that are extremely broadband. Some of the joint systems operate in HF/VHF/UHF and L-Bands and require antennas that can operate from 2-2000 MHz. Current conventional antennas do not perform adequately as communications antennas. This problem is further exasperated when the antennas are installed on a fixed/rotary wing aircraft or land mobile vehicle and do not perform due to size and weight limitations as well as detuning because of the vehicle. FIRST RF is qualified to develop an innovative approach to antenna design and integration on airborne and land mobile platforms for extremely wideband communications systems. FIRST RF is proposing to integrate up to five unique antenna technologies into the proposed system. This broad approach early in the Phase I effort is proposed in order to generate the best solution for US Army. These technologies are aimed at improving gain, bandwidth, and size. FIRST RF engineers have designed, tested, simulated, and validated critical components of the technologies of the system. These data allow FIRST RF to make preliminary predictions of installed performance. Prototypes developed in preparation for this proposal are available for immediate testing and human engineering.