• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.103-108
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• 2023

In this paper, a performance enhancement study of an AESA antenna that can be applied to a seeker that serves as the eye of a missile was conducted, and the performance of the antenna was verified through actual measurement. When designing an AESA antenna, the optimization of the active reflection coefficient must be considered during transmission due to the mutual coupling between radiators that inevitably occurs, and the selection of a radiator that can overcome the space limitation of the seeker with a small size/light weight is an important design consideration. Accordingly, optimization in terms of electrical performance and low-profile structure is required through research on array antennas for application to the AESA structure. The radiator designed and measured in this paper was designed as an SFN that can satisfy the low-profile structure while enhancing the performance of a general vivaldi antenna. Through this paper, it was confirmed that SFN has the same broadband characteristics as general vivaldi antennas and has optimized characteristics required for AESA antennas. The structure optimized through simulation confirmed the pattern characteristics and active reflection coefficient characteristics through the fabrication of actual proto-type antennas.

• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.87-92
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• 2022

In this paper, a study was conducted on the design of an array element that can be applied to the AESA radar for seeker. An antenna for application to AESA radar should choose an optimal radiation element to be applied to an array antenna in order to secure electronical beam steering characteristics, and consider beam steering characteristics when designing. In particular, in order to satisfy the wide-angle beam steering characteristics, the wide-angle impedance matching technique should be used to minimize the scan blindness region that may occur during wide-angle steering. As such, securing the stability of system operation is becoming an important design consideration for AESA radar. In this paper, WAIM is applied to the end of the radiation element to improve the characteristics of the radiation element applied to the AESA radar antenna device, and the change in the performance of the active reflection coefficient, which is a stable operation index of the system, is reviewed. The final performance result verified the validity of the proposed method by mathematically synthesizing the simulation data.

• Journal of Advanced Navigation Technology
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.546-551
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• 2023

In this study, a beam steering measurement system was developed to perform functions such as far-field beam steering and near-field beam focusing for TX/RX modes in the near file of the AESA radar. The beam steering measurement system consists of a spherical near-field scanner, an antenna positioner, a near-field controller, a network analyzer, a radar control system, a verification radar, a simulated radio, and an AESA radar. Using the developed system, the characteristics of TX/RX patterns before and after installation of radome to AESA radar were measured, and the beam pattern was analyzed through conversion to far field-after near-field measurement.The boresight error of the radar antenna device was measured, and it was confirmed that the main lobes were formed the same before and after the simulated radar dome was mounted.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.1380-1393
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• 2010

This paper presents a design, fabrication and the test results of planar active electronically scanned array(AESA) radar prototype for airborne fighter applications using transmit/receive(T/R) module hybrid technology. LIG Nex1 developed a AESA radar prototype to obtain key technologies for airborne fighter's radar. The AESA radar prototype consists of a radiating array, T/R modules, a RF manifold, distributed power supplies, beam controllers, compact receivers with ADC(Analog-to-Digital Converter), a liquid-cooling unit, and an appropriate structure. The AESA antenna has a 590 mm-diameter, active-element area capable of containing 536 T/R modules. Each module is located to provide a triangle grid with $14.7\;mm{\times}19.5\;mm$ spacing among T/R modules. The array dissipates 1,554 watts, with a DC input of 2,310 watts when operated at the maximum transmit duty factor. The AESA radar prototype was tested on near-field chamber and the results become equal in expected beam pattern, providing the accurate and flexible control of antenna beam steering and beam shaping.

• International Journal of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.330-338
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• 2024

In this paper, a Ka-band high-output active phased array antenna device applicable to small radars and seekers was designed, and the improved performance was studied. The radiation device assembly consists of 1x8 arrangements, and the step flared notch antenna type. It shows low active reflection loss characteristics in broadband, and low loss characteristics by applying the air-strip feeding structure, and is designed to enable beam steering up to 45 degrees. The TRM(transmit receive module) output power is more than 2.0W per channel using GaN HPA in the transmitting path, and satisfies more than 25.0 dB gain and less than 6.0 dB noise figure in the receiving path. Accordingly, the Effective Isotropically Radiated Power(EIRP) of the antenna unit shows the performance of 0.00 dB or more and the receive gain-to-noise temperature ratio(G/T) of 0.00 dB/k or more. For demonstration, we have designed aforementioned planar array antenna which consists of 64 radiating elements having a size within 130 mm x 130 mm x 300 mm and weight of less than 4.9 kg..

• ETRI Journal
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.417-424
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• 2016

In this paper, an accurate characterization of a fabricated X-band transmit/receive module is described with the process of generating control data to correct amplitude and phase deviations in an active electronically scanned array antenna unit. In the characterization, quantization errors (from both a digitally controlled attenuator and a phase shifter) are considered using not theoretical values (due to discrete sets of amplitude and phase states) but measured values (of which implementation errors are a part). By using the presented procedure for the characterization, each initial control bit of both the attenuator and the phase shifter is closest to the required value for each array element position. In addition, each compensated control bit for the parasitic cross effect between amplitude and phase control is decided using the same procedure. Reduction of the peak sidelobe level of an array antenna is presented as an example to validate the proposed procedure.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.50-60
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• 2021

For conventional AESA radars, DC-DC power modules using 300 Vdc have low efficiency, high volume, heavy weight, and high price, which have problems in modularity with T/R module groups. In this paper, to improve these problems, we propose a distributed DC-DC power module with high-voltage 800 Vdc and high-efficiency Step-down Converter. In particular, power requirements for modern and future marine weapons systems and sensors are rapidly evolving into high-energy and high-voltage power systems. The power distribution of the next generation Navy AESA radar antenna is under development with 1000 Vdc. In this paper, the proposed highvoltage, high-efficiency DC-DC power modules increase space(size), weight, power and cooling(SWaP-C) margins, reduce integration costs/risk, and reduce maintenance costs. Reduced system weight and higher reliability are achieved in navy and ground AESA systems. In addition, the proposed architecture will be easier to scale with larger shipboard radars and applicable to other platforms.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.414-423
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• 2015

Array error analysis and correction of active array antenna are described in this paper. Array elements composed of radiator and TR(Transmit & Recive) module have error(magnitude and phase difference among array elements) which affects SLL(Side Lobe Level). Error affectedness level depends on ideal SLL according to antenna aperture weighting, number of array elements and antenna effective aperture. To satisfy required SLL, correction of array elements is necessary; adopted differently per errors, and weighted differently per shapes of antenna and required SLL. Errors of every individual element had been defined, performance of the antenna with or without error correction had been estimated and proved through near field test.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.235-244
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• 2014

This paper describes the subarray channel configuration and calibration method for airborne AESA radar antenna. AESA radar demonstrator was designed and implemented for the digital beam-forming performance test of the 12 channel subarray structure. Magnitude and phase difference can be exist between the manufactured subarray channel. In this paper, calibration method for the subarray difference error was suggested. We measured digital monopulse slope in the subarray channel and verified the channel calibration effect. To verify the subarray channel operation, digital monopulse channel was compared with analog monopulse channel performance. AESA radar demonstrator was tested in the ground far field test range. Emulated single target was generated to test the detection and tracking performance of the demonstrator with the same waveform and search pattern. We verified that the detection and tracking performance of the 12 subarray digital monopulse channel was similar with the conventional analog monopulse channel. Also, ABF(Adaptive Beam-Forming) function for the sidelobe jammer was tested and effective operation was verified.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.812-819
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• 2012

Interference and jamming are becoming increasing concern to a radar system nowdays. AESA(Active Electronically Steered Array) antennas and adaptive beamforming(ABF), in which antenna beam patterns can be modified to reject the interference, offer a potential solution to overcome the problems encountered. In this paper, we've developed a planar active phased array radar system, in which ABF, target detection and tracking algorithm operate in real-time. For the high output power and the low noise figure of the antenna, we've designed the S-band TRMs based on GaN HEMT. For real-time processing, we've used wavelenth division multiplexing technique on fiber optic communication which enables rapid data communication between the antenna and the signal processor. Also, we've implemented the HW and SW architecture of Real-time Signal Processor(RSP) for adaptive beamforming that uses SMI(Sample Matrix Inversion) technique based on MVDR(Minimum Variance Distortionless Response). The performance of this radar system has been verified by near-field and far-field tests.