Adaptive electronically steerable array (AESA) system for interceptor RF target engagement and communications
First Claim
1. An interceptor, comprising:
- an airframe having a longitudinal axis;
a plurality of dorsal fins positioned about a circumference of the airframe and running parallel to the longitudinal axis, each said dorsal fin having a forward-facing surface that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
an adaptive electronically steerable array (AESA) system comprising a plurality of AESA arrays, each AESA array placed on the forward-facing surface of a different one of said dorsal fins, each said AESA array comprising a plurality of radiating elements configured to emit radio frequency (RF) energy substantially perpendicular to the forward-facing surface and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis;
a plurality of RF transmissive radome elements, each radome element placed on the forward-facing surface of a different one of said plurality of dorsal fins over the respective one of said AESA arrays, each said radome element having an aerodynamic shape complementary to a cross-section of said dorsal fin; and
control circuitry to configure the plurality of AESA arrays for RF target engagement.
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Abstract
An adaptive electronically steerable array (AESA) system comprises a plurality of arrays, each comprising a plurality of radiating elements, each array configured for placement on a forward-facing surface of a different one of a plurality of aerodynamic control surfaces on an interceptor. A plurality of radio frequency (RF) transmissive radome elements, each having an aerodynamic shape complementary to the aerodynamic control surface, are placed over one of the arrays. Control circuitry configures the arrays, independently or in concert, for RF target engagement and communication. Additional arrays may be positioned on side or aft-facing surfaces of the aerodynamic control surfaces for RF communication. The AESA system may be paired with an IR system for dual-mode operation.
25 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An interceptor, comprising:
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an airframe having a longitudinal axis; a plurality of dorsal fins positioned about a circumference of the airframe and running parallel to the longitudinal axis, each said dorsal fin having a forward-facing surface that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; an adaptive electronically steerable array (AESA) system comprising a plurality of AESA arrays, each AESA array placed on the forward-facing surface of a different one of said dorsal fins, each said AESA array comprising a plurality of radiating elements configured to emit radio frequency (RF) energy substantially perpendicular to the forward-facing surface and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis; a plurality of RF transmissive radome elements, each radome element placed on the forward-facing surface of a different one of said plurality of dorsal fins over the respective one of said AESA arrays, each said radome element having an aerodynamic shape complementary to a cross-section of said dorsal fin; and control circuitry to configure the plurality of AESA arrays for RF target engagement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An interceptor comprising:
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an airframe having a longitudinal axis; a plurality of aerodynamic control surfaces positioned about the airframe, each control surface having a forward-facing surface that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, an adaptive electronically steerable array (AESA) system a plurality of AESA arrays, each AESA array placed on the forward-facing surface of a different one of said plurality of aerodynamic control surfaces, each said AESA array comprising a plurality of radiating elements configured to emit radio frequency (RF) energy substantially perpendicular to the forward-facing surface and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis; a plurality of RF transmissive radome elements, each radome element placed on the forward-facing surface of a different one of said plurality of aerodynamic control surfaces over the respective one of said AESA arrays, each said radome element having an aerodynamic shape complementary to said aerodynamic control surface; and control circuitry to configure the plurality of AESA arrays for RF target engagement. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method of radio frequency (RF) target engagement comprising:
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positioning adaptive electronically steerable array (AESA) arrays on the forward-facing surfaces of a plurality of dorsal fins positioned about and running parallel to a longitudinal axis of an interceptor, each AESA array comprising a plurality of radiating elements configured to emit RF energy substantially perpendicular to the forward-facing surface and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis that together define an AESA system; placing a plurality of RF transmissive radome elements over different ones of said AESA arrays on the forward-facing surfaces, each said radome element having an aerodynamic shape complementary to a cross-section of the dorsal fin; and configuring the arrays for RF target engagement. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification