RHOMBIC SHAPED, MODULARLY EXPANDABLE PHASED ARRAY ANTENNA AND METHOD THEREFOR

摘要

A modularly expandable, phased array antenna having a rhombic shaped antenna aperture formed by a plurality of rhombic shaped subarrays. Each subarray has a rhombic shaped printed wiring board on which is formed a plurality of antenna elements, where the elements collectively form a rhombic shape in accordance with the printed wiring board. The rhombic shaped subarrays enable a modular aperture to be formed without producing any gaps between columns or rows of adjacently positioned subarrays. Thus, a uniform, consistent spacing is maintained between all the antenna elements on the subarrays. This improves antenna radiation and low observability performance for the antenna system, as well as reducing the overall size of the antenna aperture and its cost of construction.