Advanced Radiating Apertures for Reduced Signature Platforms

There is a critical need to increase the capability of new apertures and arrays to support electronic attack on advanced airborne reduced signature platforms such as Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). New apertures must have the following characteristics: scalable with high-power capability, ability to handle high power with low observable integration, electronically steerable, provide beam agility, and support bandwidth requirements. FIRST RF is proposing an antenna design that takes advantage of an optimal lattice design. The proposed lattice design provides for an improvement in scanned array bandwidth. The lattice geometry is compatible with signature reduced array techniques. In addition, improved element designs incorporating techniques in miniaturization, broadband matching, and reduced and shared cavities will provide for further bandwidth extension within the scanned array environment. Efficiently extending the bandwidths of the C&D bands of an EA antenna suite may provide for the ability to reduce the total number of EA apertures to three versus the current four. This will provide for less impact on the aircraft signature in installation. A key element design under consideration is a slot-line spiral which has inherent LO characteristics.