An antenna array having a plurality of antenna elements is disclosed. The antenna array comprises: a plurality of transceiver modules; an active antenna element subset of the plurality of antenna elements, wherein the active antenna element subset comprises at least one active antenna element being actively coupled to an associated transceiver module of the plurality of transceiver modules; and at least one passively combined sub-array of at least two antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements. A method for generating antenna patterns with the antenna array is also disclosed.