2024 AGENDA

Non-rotating antennas (also known as Active Electronically Scanned Arrays – AESAs) have been around for some time, but mainly as the preserve of expensive military radar systems. Advances in digital signal processing technologies and the commercial availability of high frequency RF components are enabling the development of innovative radar antenna solutions.

Intelligent algorithms are the key to making the advanced capabilities of former military systems available to the civil radar market and even improving on them, while at the same time being able to market these solutions at a competitive cost.
Advanced data processing allows the implementation of multiple beam scanning options such as continuous electronic rotation, confirmation look-backs and sector scanning. Beam configurations are theoretically unlimited. Useful applications will be the use of dual beam configurations, azimuth offset for longer dwell times, higher update rates or combined surveillance/tracking beams.
Non-rotating antennas have the obvious advantage of being much easier to maintain than parabolic antennas. There are no rotating elements to maintain and periodically replace, and the effects of wind and other weather conditions are far less detrimental to the overall performance of the system. A non-rotating antenna system is also much easier to install and can integrate power electronics and distribution, making it even more powerful.

One of Intersoft Electronics key design objectives is to make its non-rotating antenna technologies available to the civil market at a similar capital cost and reduced life cycle cost compared to conventional mechanically rotating antenna systems.