Low Cost Conformal Transmit/Receive SATCOM Antenna for Military Patrol Aircraft

Spectra Research, Inc. has teamed with the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) to provide the unique capabilities and design tools necessary to successfully design a broadband conformal antenna that meets the requirements for maritime patrol aircraft. The objective of this program is to develop a low cost conformal satellite communication (SATCOM) transmit/receive antenna system that can operate at X, Ku and/or Ka band for military patrol aircraft to enable over-the-horizon high speed communications by employing fragmented aperture design concepts in concert with metamaterials. The proposed antenna designs will be optimized for minimum size, weight and thickness. The utilization of polymer based artificial dielectrics and magnetics offers the potential to exceed typical antenna performance limits without suffering the penalties of decreased bandwidth and costly manufacturing. Further these designer metamaterials may also incorporate patterned layers that can provide significant benefits such as a reduction in unwanted sidelobes, and provide increased isolation. Coupling MetaMaterials with new advancements in antenna designs such as fragmented apertures provide additional significant advantages in the drive to provide reduced size, high efficiency broadband communication antennas.