An Ultra-Wideband Antenna Built Into a Parachute

While explosive munitions are quite effective at causing damage due to blast and fragments, their radius of damage is somewhat limited. We seek here to introduce a method of increasing the damage radius by adding an RF weapon system to the munition,consisting of an impulse source and a broadband antenna. By this technique, additional damage will be created in the area by upsetting computers and communications systems in the vicinity of the attack. A key part of the RF weapon system is the antenna. Wepropose incorporating an antenna into the parachute of a munition as it approaches its target. Such a device would be similar in form to a collapsible impulse radiating antenna (CIRA) that is currently manufactured and sold by Farr Research. The parachutewould be fabricated in part from a conducting ripstop nylon that would simulate a parabolic reflector. We call the combination of parachute and IRA the Para-IRA. During Phase I we will build a prototype antenna on a small scale. We will test the device atour time domain test facility, and we will provide a preliminary design for a larger-scale design. We will talk with parachute manufacturers to investigate the challenges of incorporating an antenna into a standard parachute design. This research willlead to a new design for an ultra-wideband antenna embedded into a parachute. This device will be one part of a hybrid system that combines an UWB RF weapon with a high explosive munition. Such a weapon extends the damage radius beyond that of a simpleexplosive munition.