Adaptive Radome Diagnostic System (ARDS) with AMMP RF Sensor

The goal of this program is to transition CTG’s SBIR-developed novel sensor and algorithm processing technology to the inspection of aircraft radomes. This new inspection capability must be integrated into existing maintenance processes and facilities employed by the Air Force. Moreover a new inspection paradigm is needed that does not impose a significant infrastructure investment by the Air Force. To this end, CTG proposes combining its microwave spot probe technology with mobile collaborative robots and advanced expert system software to develop a radome measurement system that can be used by technicians in a depot environment. This system will efficiently determine radome health and guide repairs. To facilitate immediate application, the developed technology will be directly applied to the JSTARS program. The radomes used for the JSTARS radars are too large to fit in existing radome measurement ranges and have never been fully characterized at the depot. So, there is an immediate need for diagnostic measurement of the existing radomes to ensure they continue to be mission ready. Integrating CTG’s AMMP sensors onto a mobile collaborative robot system is the best way to achieve this objective.