Design Study for an Antenna Radar Cross Section Measurement Test Fixture
Abstract
Stealth aircraft are designed to be undetected by radar by minimizing a return signature called the Radar Cross Section, (RCS). Therefore, it is essential to understand how antennas, which are necessary for communication, affect the overall RCS of the aircraft, so that their effects can be managed. Antenna RCS is commonly measured in a compact range, at a component level. So, the antenna needs a structure to support it, also referred to as a test fixture, that does not interfere with the measurement process. This thesis seeks to minimize the RCS of a test xC;fixture, over a particular frequency band, while meeting other geometric constraints by evaluating different geometries. The result of this thesis is a test fixture design that has a low RCS which is separable from the signature of the antenna under measurement, while providing an appropriate near xC;field environment for the antenna.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 24, 2022
- Accession Number
- AD1176794
Entities
People
- Wayne C. Kreimeyer
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology