High-frequency Directive and Reconfigurable Aperstructures (HiDRA)

Naval platforms have limited space for the numerous antenna apertures that are required for a successful mission. Ideally, the various antennas would be combined into a single system while physically integrating it into the platform structure, thereby maximizing utility. This effort will extend our prior work on aperstructures to develop automated computer-aided design (CAD) tools, which will be applied to develop and demonstrate a scaled high-frequency (HF) to ultra-high frequency (UHF) antenna prototype that is integrated into the structure of the naval platform. The design will optimize the antenna gain and efficiency while reducing its radar cross section (RCS). Additive manufacturing techniques will be used to enable rapid production and testing of the scaled system. The Phase I program will conclude with a full-scale design that will be fabricated, assembled, and demonstrated during the Phase II effort.