TECHNOLOGY SERVICE CORP — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: AF191-087

Description

Multiband technology provides a very promising advancement for RF seekers. Multiband seekers have the ability to optimize performance for each function (e.g. search, track, homing, fuzing, discrimination) in all natural and induced environments such as high clutter or Electronic Attack (EA). Multiband technology can also enable multi-mode RF seekers that consolidate RF functions (seeker, datalink, navigation, ECM) into a smaller, lighter, lower cost overall package without sacrificing performance. Multiband technologies can effectively extend the range of the weapon system by optimizing acquisition and track performance, thereby reducing handover error and extending the range for handover. In addition, smaller, lighter, more efficient RF seekers can allow more SWaP to be dedicated to missile propulsion. TSC proposes to leverage our multi-band antenna design experience, based on ultrawideband tightly couple dipole array technology, along with our innovative planar construction techniques to address the need for multi-band RF seeker antennas. Our technology has been designed and prototyped under other DoD programs. As the concept and architecture is studied and defined, we will leverage decades of systems engineering experience to develop a multiband antenna that will maximize benefit to the seeker system.