Ultra-ultra wide band AESA architecture
An AESA antenna system with RF Beamformer PCB assemblies includes integrated radiating elements. The system utilizes a swappable PCB assembly with integrated thermal management. Such integrated thermal management may include a heat pipe thermal spreader, compatible with a PCB assembly to create a brick AESA architecture. A card cage and linear array mechanical assembly are configured to host a linear array of PCBs that span the UUBW spectrum within a common mechanical assembly. The PCBs in the brick AESA architecture can be configured/reconfigured within a wavelength scaled aperture (WSA) architecture.
1 . An antenna apparatus comprising:
a chassis defining a plurality of subarray bays, and comprising:
heat sinks disposed to thermally engage subarrays in each of the plurality of subarray bays; and
electronic connection elements disposed to engage subarrays in each of the plurality of subarray bays; and
a plurality of replaceable subarrays, each configured to engage any subarray bay in the chassis and be removed without disassembly of the chassis or removal of any other subarray,
wherein:
the subarrays are ½ wave lattice spaced for operation at a highest operating frequency; and
the subarrays are configured within a wavelength scaled aperture (WSA) architecture.
2 . The antenna apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of subarrays comprises at least one printed circuit board (PCB) having a plurality of radiating elements, each PCB configured to operate in a frequency range.
3 . The antenna apparatus of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of subarrays further comprises a spreader disposed to transfer heat from the at least one PCB to a corresponding heat sink in the chassis or attached to the chassis.
4 . The antenna apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the spreader comprises a vertical spreader.
5 . The antenna apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the spreader comprises a lateral spreader.
6 . The antenna apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
a first subarray in the plurality of subarrays is configured to operate in a first frequency range; and
a second subarray in the plurality of subarrays is configured to operate in a second frequency range distinct from the first frequency range.
7 . The antenna apparatus of claim 6 , wherein a third subarray in the plurality of subarrays is configured to operate in a third frequency range, distinct from the first frequency range and the second frequency range.
8 . An active electronically scanned array comprising:
a chassis defining a plurality of subarray bays, and comprising:
heat sinks disposed to thermally engage subarrays in each of the plurality of subarray bays; and
electronic connection elements disposed to engage subarrays in each of the plurality of subarray bays; and
a plurality of replaceable subarrays, each configured to engage any subarray bay in the chassis and be removed without disassembly of the chassis or removal of any other subarray,
wherein:
the subarrays are ½ wave lattice spaced for operation at a highest operating frequency; and
the subarrays are configured within a wavelength scaled aperture (WSA) architecture.
9 . The active electronically scanned array of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of subarrays comprises at least one PCB having a plurality of radiating elements, each PCB configured to operate in a frequency range.
10 . The active electronically scanned array of claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of subarrays further comprises a spreader disposed to transfer heat from the at least one PCB to a corresponding heat sink in the chassis.
11 . The active electronically scanned array of claim 10 , wherein the spreader comprises a vertical spreader.
12 . The active electronically scanned array of claim 10 , wherein the spreader comprises a lateral spreader.
13 . The active electronically scanned array of claim 8 ,
wherein:
a first subarray in the plurality of subarrays is configured to operate in a first frequency range; and
a second subarray in the plurality of subarrays is configured to operate in a second frequency range distinct from the first frequency range.
14 . The active electronically scanned array of claim 13 , wherein a third subarray in the plurality of subarrays is configured to operate in a third frequency range, distinct from the first frequency range and the second frequency range.
15 . An antenna system comprising:
a chassis defining a plurality of subarray bays, and comprising:
heat sinks disposed to thermally engage subarrays in each of the plurality of subarray bays; and
electronic connection elements disposed to engage subarrays in each of the plurality of subarray bays; and
a plurality of subarrays, each configured to engage any subarray bay in the chassis and be removed without disassembly of the chassis or removal of any other subarray, a first set of subarrays configured to operate in a first frequency range, and a second set of subarrays configured to operate in a second frequency range distinct from the first frequency range,
wherein:
a central region of the antenna system comprises subarrays configured to operate in a highest operating frequency, and a peripheral region comprises subarrays configured to operate in a lower frequency range;
the subarrays are ½ wave lattice spaced for operation at the highest operating frequency; and
the subarrays are configured within a wavelength scaled aperture (WSA) architecture.
16 . The antenna system of claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of subarrays comprises at least one PCB having a plurality of radiating elements, each PCB configured to operate in a frequency range.
17 . The antenna system of claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of subarrays further comprises a spreader disposed to transfer heat from the at least one PCB to a corresponding heat sink in the chassis.
18 . The antenna system of claim 17 , wherein the spreader comprises a vertical spreader.
19 . The antenna system of claim 17 , wherein the spreader comprises a lateral spreader.
20 . The antenna system of claim 15 , wherein the first set of subarrays are disposed in a center region of the chassis and the second set of subarrays are disposed in a peripheral region of the chassis.