Antenna alignment fixture

1. An apparatus configured to be mounted to a radar array antenna having a generally planar front face for aligning the radar antenna, said apparatus comprising:

a rigid frame defining a plane generally parallel to the front face of the antenna when said rigid frame is mounted to the antenna;

a flexible member associated with said rigid frame and configured to flex relative to said rigid frame;

an optical source for emitting a light beam; and

a target,

wherein one of said optical source and said target is associated with said flexible member and the other of said optical source and said target is associated with said rigid frame, and

wherein a distance between the path of said light beam and said target is indicative of a degree of misalignment between said flexible member and said rigid frame.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

first, second and third legs for rigidly mounting said rigid frame to the antenna and extending from said rigid frame; and

a fourth leg for mounting said rigid frame to the antenna and associated with said rigid frame via said flexible member.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said rigid frame comprises first and second beams in an X-shaped configuration.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said first and third legs are associated with first and second ends of said first beam, respectively; and

wherein said second and fourth legs are associated with first and second ends of said second beam, respectively.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said optical source is associated with said first end of said second beam, and

wherein said target is associated with said second end of said second beam.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein a ratio of the length of said second beam of said rigid frame and the length of said flexible member ranges from about 40 to 60.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein a ratio of the stiffness of said second beam and the stiffness of said flexible member ranges from about 5 to 20.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said rigid frame further comprises a generally rectangular frame rigidly coupled to said first and second beams.

9. An alignment apparatus for aligning an elevation system of a radar array antenna comprising:

a generally planar, rigid frame for mounting to a front face of the antenna;

first, second and third legs rigidly attached to said rigid frame and configured to rigidly attach to the antenna;

a flexible member associated with said rigid frame;

a fourth leg associated with said flexible member and configured to rigidly attach to the antenna;

an optical source; and

a target,

wherein one of said optical source and said target is associated with said flexible member,

wherein the other of said optical source and said target is associated with said rigid frame, and

wherein said optical source and said target are configured to cooperatively indicate any misalignment of said flexible member relative to said rigid frame.

10. The alignment apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said rigid frame comprises first and second beams in an X-shaped configuration.

11. The alignment apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said first leg extends from a first end of said first beam,

wherein said second leg extends from a first end of said second beam, and

wherein said third leg extends from a second end of said first beam.

12. The alignment apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said flexible member is associated with a second end of second beam.

13. The alignment apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said one of the optical source and the target is disposed about said first end of said second beam, and

wherein the other of the optical source and the target is disposed about said flexible member.

14. The alignment apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said first and second beams comprise a first composite material, and

wherein said flexible member comprises a second composite material, said second composite material being flexible relative to said first composite material.

15. The alignment apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said target comprises an optical sensor for sensing a light beam emitted by said optical source.

16. A method for adjusting planar alignment of a front face of a radar array antenna, the method comprising the steps of:

rigidly mounting an alignment apparatus spanning across the front face of the antenna, said antenna being in a stowed position, wherein said alignment apparatus comprises:

a rigid frame configured to be mounted to said antenna;

first, second, and third legs rigidly associated with said rigid frame;

a fourth leg flexibly associated with said rigid frame;

a flexible member for flexibly associating said fourth leg with said rigid frame, said flexible member being flexible relative to said rigid frame,

an optical source; and

a target,

wherein, one of said optical source and said target is associated with said flexible member and the other of said optical source and said target is associated with rigid frame,

causing an actuator to raise the antenna from said stowed position to a generally deployed position;

causing said optical source to emit a light beam generally toward said target; and

if said light beam is not incident upon said target, further causing said actuator to adjust the position of the antenna until said light beam is incident upon said target.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the mounting step comprises the step of rigidly attaching said first, second, third and fourth legs to the antenna.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein said rigid frame comprises first and second beams in an X-shaped configuration.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein said optical source is rigidly coupled to said flexible member, and

wherein said target is associated with a second end of said first beam.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein said target is rigidly associated with one of said first, second and third legs.