N102-148 TITLE: Develop Radar Radome Materials, Processes and Test Methodology

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Materials/Processes, Sensors

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: NA, IWS 2.0 will use this technology on developing high power radar systems

RESTRICTION ON PERFORMANCE BY FOREIGN CITIZENS (i.e., those holding non-U.S. Passports): This topic is "ITAR Restricted." The information and materials provided pursuant to or resulting from this topic are restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120 - 130, which control the export of defense-related material and services, including the export of sensitive technical data. Foreign Citizens may perform work under an award resulting from this topic only if they hold the "Permanent Resident Card", or are designated as "Protected Individuals" as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). If a proposal for this topic contains participation by a foreign citizen who is not in one of the above two categories, the proposal will be rejected.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this topic is to develop novel materials and/or processes to provide improved Shipboard Radome performance for Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) systems and operational assessment technologies to mitigate risk and impact of Radome interactions with array Transmit/Receive modules.

DESCRIPTION: Future naval surface combatants and need innovative radome materials with improved performance and manufacturability. These composite radome structures provide protection for the radar array face; however, they can also operationally impact/interact with active array elements leading to the potential for decreased system performance, element performance degradation, decreased mean time between failure of Transmit/Receive modules, and overall life cycle cost increase of the radar system logistics support. This topic seeks to identify advanced and innovative materials and processes for the manufacture of high power radar radomes and also test methodologies to assess interactions with array face and elements so that unintended performance degradation of system and array modules can be avoided or predicted. The research sought will develop new materials and processes that provide improved operational performance beyond the current state-of-the-art radome materials and processes. The materials cannot negatively impact radar Transmit/Receive module performance.

Radomes are required to provide protection for high power AMDR radars, EW systems and system Transmit/Receive modules. The developed radome materials shall provide improved performance in terms of RF loss, dielectric constant, thermal expansion; robust environmental stability in terms of electrical, mechanical and thermal properties of the radome when exposed to solvents, uv radiation, high environmental thermal loads, moisture and solvents; and, manufacturability for end application usage. Representative performance metrics will be system dependent, and the project should seek to address these representative parameters for their intended transition system. The proposed radome structures shall be of a sandwiched construction, it shall be applicable to S and/or X Band radar applications and it will provide amplitude and phase uniformity. Notational performance parameters that shall be addresses by this project include:

Specification Parameter Value Test Condition
Electrical:
Dielectric Constant System Specific Value ASTM D2520
Loss Tangent System Specific Value ASTM D3380 at System
Specified Frequency

Physical:
Thickness System Specific Value
Water Absobsion 0.5 weight % maximum

Environmental:
Temperature -30 C to +80 C -65 C to +100 C Non-operating
Relative Humidity up to 95%
Salt Atmosphere Standard Shipboard Requirements
Chemical solvents Standard Shipboard Requirements
Radiation Solar, RF, UV, IR
Vibration Shock 100G, 6 ms Sawtooth

PHASE I: Conduct research and development to identify, formulate, and model performance of innovative radome materials. Design proposed radome configurations using the new materials that significantly improve radome performance and develop testing methodologies that characterize performance and interactions between radomes and the active T/R modules the materials protect.

PHASE II: Based on the results and materials identified in Phase I, develop and test a prototype radome for application to a Navy program. In support of the testing process, the company will develop an RF test methodology and metrics applicable to the testing of radomes using the new materials and configurations.

PHASE III: The Small Business will team with Navy to transition the phase II developed technologies into a developing high power radar system. The developed technology will be exercised within the transition system to demonstrate the performance improvement, increased reliability, test time reduction and/or cost reduction.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Radomes are needed by military and civilian radars to provide protection to the radar array face.

REFERENCES:
1. Volakis, John C. "Radomes, Materials and Design Data, Frequency Selective Surfaces". Antenna Engineering Handbook, 4th ed. Pp. 53-1 - 56-25. McGraw Hill Publishing, 2007.

2. The Handbook of Antenna Design, Vol. 2. A. W. Rudge (Editor), A. David Olver (Editor), K. Milne (Editor), P. Knight (Editor). Institution of Electrical Engineers.

3. Antenna Engineering Handbook. Richard C. Johnson, Henry Jasik (Editor) McGraw-Hill Companies, The.

KEYWORDS: Radar, EW, ESA, Radome, test, RF, Advanced Materials

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

DoD Notice:   Between April 21 and May 19, 2010, you may talk directly with the Topic Authors to ask technical questions about the topics. For reasons of competitive fairness, direct communication between proposers and topic authors is not allowed starting May 19, 2010, when DoD begins accepting proposals for this solicitation.

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