Virtual EM propose a passive electronically steered array (PESA) design to replace the current AN/SPS-49, which is expected to address all of the requirements of this program. The proposed solution is in the form of a high-power-capable, electronically-reconfigurable reflectarray antenna that employs polarization-rotation (PR) phase shifting to achieve wideband, 2-bit phase quantization for beam scanning. Multiple simultaneous beams with beam-shaping (to achieve the required cosec2 pattern) are supported by the proposed design. The resulting antenna assembly (the section above the pedestal) is expected to meet all the size, weight, mechanical, and environmental specifications of the program.
Benefit: The new product replaces the mechanical elevation scanning with electronic and provides multiple simultaneous elevation beams to dramatically improve the performance of the AN/SPS-49 radar. Military applications are shipboard radar systems and land-based military radars while the civilian applications include weather and air traffic control radar systems.
Keywords: Electronic Phase Shifting, Electronic Phase Shifting, phased array, Array Lenses, Electronic Elevation Scan, transmit arrays, Reflect Arrays
