Optimization of Gimbal Parameters to Improve the Boresight Error Performance of Airborne Radomes.

Zanwar, Yash S.; Aparna, A. P.; Sonalikar, Hrishikesh S.

This paper presents the effect of gimbal geometry parameters on the electromagnetic performance of streamlined radome for airborne applications. The work demonstrates that the gimbal position significantly affects the boresight error performance. The optimization of gimbal position is performed, and the resultant boresight error is limited to 1.5 mrad while keeping the insertion loss below 0.25 dB over the entire antenna scan angle range. The analysis of the antenna-radome system is carried out using the 3D ray tracing method. This work shows that the gimbal geometry parameters provide additional degree of freedom for improving radome performance parameters and can be applied to both the gimbal mounted and electronically scanning antennas enclosed by streamlined radomes.

RADOMES; RAY tracing; INSERTION loss (Telecommunication); DEGREES of freedom; AIRBORNE-based remote sensing; SYSTEM analysis

Progress in Electromagnetics Research M, 2020, Vol 90, p127

1937-8726

Academic Journal

10.2528/pierm20012104