Steerable disk antenna
First Claim
1. A radar antenna system adapted to be supported on an aircraft for surveillance, the antenna system comprising:
- a nonconducting disk radome structured with aerodynamic fairing and otherwise to produce relatively low aerodynamic drag;
a support system for securing the disk radome to the aircraft with the disk radome generally extending in a solid horizontal reference plane;
a ground plane structure supported by the disk radome and extending generally horizontally across and within the disk radome;
a plurality of elongated, relatively low gain linear radiating elements distributed in spaced relation to each other as opposing pairs within and across the disk radome and supported relative to the disk radome by the ground plane structure to extend substantially in a vertical direction with respective poles of each radiating element disposed on opposite sides of the ground plane structure so at to radiate in a generally vertical direction;
an electronic system having transmit/receive circuits disposed within and supported relative to the disk radome and respectively connected to the radiating elements to transmit radio frequency signals therebetween; and
a system for coupling, through the support system, signals between the electronic system in the disk radome and radar system level circuitry located externally of the disk radome.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A radar antenna system, adapted to be supported on an aircraft for surveillance, employs a nonconducting disk radome structured with aerodynamic fairing and otherwise to produce relatively low aerodynamic drag. A plurality of struts are used to secure the disk radome to the aircraft with the disk radome generally extending in a solid horizontal reference plane. A plurality of elongated, relatively low gain radiating elements are supported by a ground-plane box within the disk radome, with the radiating elements distributed across the disk radome and disposed to radiate generally in the vertical direction. An electronic system is supported within the ground-plane box, and it includes respective transmit/receive circuits which send and receive radio frequency signals to and from the radiating elements. Power cables extend through the struts to couple signals between the electronic system in the disk radome and radar system level circuitry located externally of the disk radome.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A radar antenna system adapted to be supported on an aircraft for surveillance, the antenna system comprising:
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a nonconducting disk radome structured with aerodynamic fairing and otherwise to produce relatively low aerodynamic drag; a support system for securing the disk radome to the aircraft with the disk radome generally extending in a solid horizontal reference plane; a ground plane structure supported by the disk radome and extending generally horizontally across and within the disk radome; a plurality of elongated, relatively low gain linear radiating elements distributed in spaced relation to each other as opposing pairs within and across the disk radome and supported relative to the disk radome by the ground plane structure to extend substantially in a vertical direction with respective poles of each radiating element disposed on opposite sides of the ground plane structure so at to radiate in a generally vertical direction; an electronic system having transmit/receive circuits disposed within and supported relative to the disk radome and respectively connected to the radiating elements to transmit radio frequency signals therebetween; and a system for coupling, through the support system, signals between the electronic system in the disk radome and radar system level circuitry located externally of the disk radome. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A radar antenna system adapted to be supported on an aircraft for surveillance, the antenna system comprising:
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nonconducting disk radome means structured so as to produce relatively low aerodynamic drag; means for securing the disk radome means to the aircraft with the disk radome means generally extending in a solid horizontal reference plane; a plurality of elongated, relatively low gain linear radiating elements; ground-plane means for supporting the radiating elements within the disk radome, the radiating elements extending outwardly from the round-plane means in mutually opposing pairs of radiating elements facing in opposite directions within the disk radome and disposed to radiate generally in a vertical direction; means for sending and receiving radio frequency signal to and from the radiating elements;
the sending and receiving means disposed within and supported relative to the disk radome; andmeans for coupling, through the supporting means, signals between the electronic system in the disk radome and radar system level circuitry located externally of the disk radome. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification