Compact, Rugged Ultra Wideband Antennas

The objective of the phase I and II SBIR Topic A03-198, "COMPACT, RUGGED ULTRA WIDEBAND ANTENNA PROGRAM" is to develop compact, rugged ultra-wideband antenna technology that can be used in the D.O.D. environment to produce small to medium caliber munitions (40 mm. to 155 mm.), see Figure 3.0-1, capable of producing directed energy effects in addition to blast and fragmentation, as well as non-weaponized commercial ruggedized systems. This will require, under one version of a multi-function warhead the use of high power microwave (several gigawatts for up to 50 nanoseconds at a repetition rate of 100 Hz) ultra-wideband (typically 100 MHz to 10 GHz) signals to attack sensitive electronics. One of the most critical technologies required to achieve these capabilities are antennas which are compact, radiate energy over a very broad frequency band, and can survive high g-force launches.