FIRST RF CORPORATION SBIR Phase I Award, July 2023

The Navy, in support of the Marine Corps, is seeking an innovative, consolidated antenna solution for vehicle-mounted Electronic Warfare Systems (EWS) for geolocating, direction finding, and countering threats on the ground and in the air. In addition to supporting transmit requirements, the antenna must interface with emerging advanced ultra-wideband photonic receiver technology that can rapidly process threats within the entire frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum from near DC up to 20 GHz with objectives to reach 80+ GHz. Due to challenging vehicle integration constraints, the antenna must fit within a one cubic foot form factor and withstand seawater submersion.  In response to this need, FIRST RF Corporation proposes a breakthrough multi-port antenna design that provides a broadband, dual-polarized, configuration suitable for receive and transmit applications in a single one cubic foot package. The antenna achieves a gain flatness response consistent with the goals of the system and maintains a wide field of view spanning at least ±45° in both azimuth and elevation. This field of view combined with excellent pattern stability enables increased accuracy in angle of arrival (AoA) determination supporting geolocation applications. Moreover, the antenna is tailored to interface with next-generation multi-channel receivers by eliminating the need for beamforming hardware that has previously burdened the Size, Weight, Power, and Cost (SWaP-C) as well as the efficiency of the legacy systems.