Integration of Flat-Plate X-Band and Wideband Antennas for Surveillance/Identification

This proposal presents a unique and innovative approach to designing and realizing an integrated aperture made up of a wideband, nominally 0. 5 to 2. 0 GHz, array and a precision X-band array. AAEC proposes to realize the wideband element by a rigid wire structure. Second, AAEC proposes a design tool based on well validated computational electromagnetics codes that actually relate changes in the near field behavior of the X-band antenna to the wideband antenna structure that is responsible for these changes. This allows the designer to rapidly progress through a convergent design process without the time consuming and costly process of empirical iterations. Finally, the principle approach proposed to realize the wideband array elements is through the application of frequency-selective-surface techniques. AAEC proposes the use of discrete chip components which present appropriate open circuits in the wideband element structure at X-band, but which are low loss, short circuits at the UHF/L-band operational frequencies.