Armament Research-Conformal Array for Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Applications

Amelex in cooperation with Ball Aerospace proposes to develop an electronically scanned side-looking radar antenna, which would be mounted conformal to the semi-cylindrical surface of an airborne missile system. The Phase I objective is the completion of a feasibility study to establish the capability of candidate array architectures, and their relevance to existing or planned seeker radar targeting systems. Initial requirements will be taken from an existing nose-mounted Ku-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), but during the program a review of additional system requirements will be conducted to establish possible applications of the technology. Innovative technologies for electronic beam scanning, phase shifting, matrix and spatial beamforming, and multilayer packaging will be developed and evaluated. The resulting antenna architectures will be evaluated and selected for detailed design. The design effort will include aperture, phase shifter, beamforming, mechanical, materials and processes, performance prediction and documentation. At the end of the Phase I effort, a Technology Development Plan will be included with the final report to outline the basis for a Phase II development effort. This effort is critical to the enhancement and further application of the work completed under the direction of Frank Arredondo for the Phase I SBIR AF93-167.