Antenna for Shipboard Missile Detection System

"Current shipboard electronic warfare (EW) systems do not adequately cover the full frequency range of likely future radar missile seeker threats. Toyon Research Corporation proposes a "building-block" antenna approach that would provide low costomni-directional azimuth antenna coverage for detecting threat signals in an ultrawide frequency (through Ka) band, with a straightforward growth path to localizing the threat accurately in azimuth and elevation by adding additional building-block antennasets along with beam-forming hardware, but without an antenna set redesign. The proposed antenna comprises three parts: power divider, multi-element notch antenna array covering signals in an ultra-wide frequency band, and a radome/polarizer. Two to fourantenna sets, located either together or on different parts of a ship, can cover 360 degrees in azimuth. Future improvements using arrays of such antenna sets can be combined and phased to provide scanned beams or multiple fixed beams for threatlocalization. Toyon's experience with such antenna systems is extensive with more than 20 years' experience designing and building the SLQ-32 Semi-Omni Antenna (including a radome/polarizer) as well as two predecessor antenna upgrades. In 2001, members ofthe Toyon team completed a similar Ka-band missile seeker antenna with integral power divider and phase shifters. The AN/SLQ-32 missile detection system is currently used on nearly 500 Navy ships. The pr