TO ACHIEVE SATISFACTORY TACAN PERFORMANCE ON ALL RADIALS A SHIP TACAN ANTENNA REQUIRES AN UNOBSTRUCTED SITE, ATOP THE MAIN (HIGHEST) MAST, IN THE CLEAR, FREE OF RF REFLECTIONS.

TO ACHIEVE SATISFACTORY TACAN PERFORMANCE ON ALL RADIALS A SHIP TACAN ANTENNA REQUIRES AN UNOBSTRUCTED SITE, ATOP THE MAIN (HIGHEST) MAST, IN THE CLEAR, FREE OF RF REFLECTIONS. DUE TO THE CONTINUING IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW SYSTEMS E.G. GPS, ECM, JTIDS, OTHER, THE AREA IN THE VICINITY OF THE TOP OF THE SHIPS MAIN MAST IS CONTINUING TO BE IN GREATER AND GREATER DEMAND. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE IN THE CASE OF AIRCRAFT CARRIERS, BATTLESHIPS AND CGN CLASS CRUISERS. THIS PROPSAL INTRODUCES A TACAN ANTENNA WHICH COULD BE DEPLOYED AROUNDTHE-MAST OF A SHIP IN TWO HALVES, MAKING INSTALLATION OF THE ANTENNA POSSIBLE WITHOUT REMOVING HIGHER EQUIPMENT. SEVERAL OF THE RF AND MECHANICAL ASSEMBLIES PROPOSED FOR THIS ANTENNA INCORPORATE PROVEN STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY.