Conformal load bearing antennas
Two separate projects will help to enhance ADF land, sea and air platforms.
In a major collaborative research project between RMIT and the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), researchers are investigating the design of conformal load bearing antennas using advanced materials such as carbon fibre reinforced plastic.
Antennas for the reception, transmission or attenuation of radio frequency signals are being integrated in load bearing structures. The vision is to develop and demonstrate a multifunctional structure technology to enhance the Australian Defence Force land, sea and air platforms.
A second collaborative project with DSTO is to investigate and design a Slotted Waveguide Antenna Stiffened Structure (SWASS). The SWASS uses top-hat cross-section stiffeners in thin skins or blade stiffeners in sandwich panels to serve the dual purpose of acting both as structural stiffeners and as slotted waveguide antennas.