SBIR-STTR Award

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.

Benefit:
The technology developed under this effort applies to antenna designs that are intended to be integrated into the structure of a surface, ground or airborne vehicle. Antenna apertures that are embedded in the platform structure (aperstructures) will enable greater bandwidths and cover lower frequencies, thus enabling complex signal processing and advanced communication. The automated computer-aided design (CAD) tools will enable rapid development of aperstructures. The resulting aperstructure designs and tools are applicable to both military and civilian platforms, including the commercial automotive, ship, and aircraft industries.

Keywords:
Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO), Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO), Aperstructure, Very High Frequency (VHF), High Frequency (HF), platform is the antenna (PITA), Electronically Reconfigurable Antenna (ERA), ultra-high frequency (UHF), Additive Manufacturing (AM)

Naval platforms have limited space for the numerous antenna apertures that are required for a successful mission. Ideally, the various antennas can be combined into a single system while physically integrating it into the platform structure, thereby maximizing utility. This effort extends our prior work on aperstructures to develop and demonstrate a high-frequency (HF) to ultra-high frequency (UHF) antenna prototype that uses the existing structure of a naval platform. During the Phase I effort, Toyon demonstrated a new technique that enables a single, continuous, conductive surface to support multiple antenna modes. The technique was both successfully simulated, and a proof-of-concept (POC) was built and tested. During the Phase II effort, Toyon will develop a module that can be installed on existing structures to design new antennas. The module will be productized and ready for follow-on field testing at the conclusion of the Phase II effort. This module will allow engineers to optimize the antenna gain and efficiency while reducing the radar cross section (RCS) of the platform. Whenever possible, additive manufacturing techniques will be used to enable rapid production and testing of the scaled system.

Benefit:
The technology developed under this effort applies to antenna designs that are intended to be integrated into the structure of a surface, ground, or airborne vehicle. Antenna apertures that are embedded in the platform structure (aperstructures) will enable greater bandwidths and cover lower frequencies, thus enabling complex signal processing and advanced communication. The automated computer-aided design (CAD) tools will enable rapid development of aperstructures. The resulting aperstructure designs and tools are applicable to both military and civilian platforms, including the commercial automotive, ship, and aircraft industries.

Keywords:
Very High Frequency (VHF), Additive Manufacturing (AM), Electronically Reconfigurable Antenna (ERA), Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO), platform is the antenna (PITA), Aperstructure, ultra-high frequency (UHF), High Frequency (HF)