Channeled surface fairing for use with a phased array antenna on an aircraft

摘要

A fairing for use with a phased array antenna for attenuating the transverse magnetic (TM) electric field radiated by the antenna, to thereby reduce the possibility of interference with other transceivers operating in the area of the antenna but which are not the intended recipients of a signal transmitted by the antenna. The fairing is adapted to be secured to an outer surface of a fuselage of an aircraft and to support the phased array antenna thereon. The fairing includes a plurality of concentrically arranged channels that serve to capture and ground the TM electric field as it propagates along the plane of the fairing away from the phased array antenna. Advantageously, the phased array antenna is mounted on the fairing so that the fairing also acts as a heat sink to help cool the antenna. In one preferred form the fairing is made from aluminum.