High Power Mechanically-Phased Helix Array

Electronic warfare, and drone warfare, in particular, is growing in prevalence and is projected to be a pivotal aspect of future conflicts. Many countries have invested heavily in the proliferation of cheap and versatile drone technologies. Drones are also a domestic concern, as commercial off-the-shelf options grow cheaper and more advanced. They interfere with civilian and military aircraft traffic, alarm the public, and raise national security concerns with the potential threat of domestic attacks. Control of airspace both in the US and in operational military environments abroad is essential to the protection of US assets and is required to maintain a strategic advantage. High Power Microwave (HPM) technologies can be used for counter-drone operations.In Phase I, Diversified Technologies, Inc. (DTI) developed a compact, broadband, mechanically-phased, high power density, helical HPM array antenna and demonstrated its feasibility by simulation and hardware fabrication and measurements. Element phasing and amplitude weighting were shown to support low sidelobe levels and beam- and null-directing as desired. The antenna covers the entire X-band (8 to 12 GHz), has a gain of greater than 30 dBi, (Objective), is capable of power density levels of 100 MW/m^2 (Objective), and supports scan angles greater than +/-20 degrees in azimuth and elevation with sidelobe control. It is essentially a high power phase shifter built into a phased array antenna. In Phase II, DTI will develop a high power density X-band phased array antenna with high-power feed, agile steering, high gain, reduced sidelobes, and advanced beamforming. The 30+ dBi (Objective) full array will be designed, and a 24+ dBi (Threshold) subscale array will be designed, built, and tested. The array will be capable of steering more than +/-20 degrees from boresight in azimuth and elevation, have power density in excess of 20 MW/m^2 (Threshold) up to 100 MW/m^2 (Objective) and will meet these metrics across the X-Band. DTI will perform low power measurements of the system to evaluate antenna performance and perform high power testing (>200 kW) of the major repeatable array segment to demonstrate power handling capability.Phase II will result in a subscale high power density electrically-controllable hardware prototype helical phased array antenna with mechanical phasing and amplitude control motors implemented. The control electronics will convert data input (desired frequency, beam and null elevation/azimuth, and sidelobe levels) to phasing and amplitude weighting of each element and drive the motor coils to the correct position. Low and high power testing will validate array performance.All work will be performed in Bedford, MA except for low power array antenna performance measurements, as well as possible high-power testing at AFR