TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Sensors, Weapons

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMA-201, Precision Strike Weapons

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with section 3.5.b.(7) of the solicitation.

OBJECTIVE: Develop innovative antenna solutions to facilitate weapon/missile flight test evaluation while minimizing the impact of antenna installation to weapon characteristics.

DESCRIPTION: Innovative antenna designs are needed for future missiles/weapons that facilitate flight test performance and engineering evaluations without significantly altering the characteristics of the weapon under test. Improvements are needed for future systems for antennas such that they have lesser impact on platform drag, installation impact on the airframe, and impact on radar cross section. Antennas should be designed for telemetry, tracking, data link, and command self-destruct functions.

A range of performance capabilities may be considered. There are tradeoffs between installation methods such as for conformal methods that require cutting structure to install cavities for antenna mounting vs. parasitic external mounting of antennas. There are tradeoffs on gain pattern and possibly Radar Cross Section (RCS) characteristics for protruding antennas vs. conformal antennas. There are no specific RCS requirements other than the goal is to minimize impact to the platform airframe characteristics. Antenna designs should be able to withstand the environments encountered when installed in air launched weapons. Weapons must be able to undergo captive carriage on tactical aircraft and survive launch and flight conditions. Innovative antenna technology for both subsonic and supersonic flight conditions are of interest. Single antennas or suites of antennas will be considered.

PHASE I: Determine the technical feasibility of advanced antenna technology for designs with at least the following flight test functions in mind:

Telemetry (TM), S-Band, 2.2-2.3 GHz
Flight Termination System (FTS), UHF, 424-426 MHz
Tracking Beacon/Transponder, C-Band, 5.4-5.9 GHz
Link 16 Data Link, 960-1220 MHz

PHASE II: Develop, demonstrate and validate a prototype antenna or suite of antennas. Optimize performance characteristics such as gain, efficiencies, installation method impact, and groundplane curvature impact. Perform antenna design analyses to include Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) and gain performance, provide VSWR and gain pattern test characterizations using standard methods on circular metal plates or other appropriate ground planes.

PHASE III: Transition the technology to interested platforms and services.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The commercial aviation community is likely to benefit from less intrusive installations of more compact lightweight antennas. Spinoff application to Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) may enable improved flight safety for some UAVs near populated areas and UAV flight in controlled airspace.

REFERENCES:
1. http://www.navair.navy.mil/index.cfm?fuseaction=about.products.

2. http://www.nawcwpns.navy.mil/nawcwd/about/wd_technical_overview/slide19.htm.

3. http://www.nawcwpns.navy.mil/nawcwd/about/wd_technical_overview/slide20.htm.

4. http://www.cotf.navy.mil/index.htm.

5. http://www.rti.org/newsroom/news.cfm?nav=84&objectid=C81287B4-48A6-42F2-B81FEA00CB5CADC3.

KEYWORDS: Antennas; Telemetry; Flight Termination System; Tracking Beacon; Missiles; Flight Test

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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