A system for bistatic radar target detection employs an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a ramjet providing supersonic cruise of the UAV. Deployable antenna arms support a passive radar receiver for bistatic reception of reflected radar pulses. The UAV operates with a UAV flight profile in airspace beyond a radar range limit. The deployable antenna arms have a first retracted position for supersonic cruise and are adapted for deployment to a second extended position acting as an airbrake and providing boresight alignment of the radar receiver. A mothership aircraft has a radar transmitter for transmitting radar pulses and operates with an aircraft flight profile outside the radar range limit. A communications data link operably interconnects the UAV and the tactical mothership aircraft, transmitting data produced by the bistatic reception of reflected radar pulses in the UAV radar antenna to the mothership aircraft.

A dual polarization antenna is described. An antenna under the present disclosure can comprise a plurality of legs, and a plurality of parasitic elements disposed between the legs. Feeds are connected to both the legs and the parasitics. By feeding the parasitics the antenna can be dual polarized, providing greater reception and transmission capabilities, as well as saving space compared to other dual polarized antennas.

A system for bistatic radar target detection employs an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having a ramjet providing supersonic cruise of the UAV. Deployable antenna arms support a passive radar receiver for bistatic reception of reflected radar pulses. The UAV operates with a UAV flight profile in airspace beyond a radar range limit. The deployable antenna arms have a first retracted position for supersonic cruise and are adapted for deployment to a second extended position acting as an airbrake and providing boresight alignment of the radar receiver. A mothership aircraft has a radar transmitter for transmitting radar pulses and operates with an aircraft flight profile outside the radar range limit. A communications data link operably interconnects the UAV and the tactical mothership aircraft, transmitting data produced by the bistatic reception of reflected radar pulses in the UAV radar antenna to the mothership aircraft.

A structural panel of an aircraft is constructed with a multiphase antenna embedded inside the structural panel between multiple sheets of fiberglass.

The embodiments described herein provide for composite panels that include elements that form one or more Radio Frequency (RF) antennas. The composite panels may be integrated along with other composite panels to form a composite structure for a vehicle. In some cases, the composite panels function both as elements of an RF antenna and as structural elements of the vehicle. In some cases, the composite panels function both as elements of an RF antenna and as a means for static charge dissipation. When operating as an RF antenna, the composite panels are inherently conformal with an outside surface of a composite structure.

Core structures (120) for composite panels (75) of an aircraft (10), composite panels (75) and aircraft (10) including the core structures (120), and methods (200) of manufacturing the composite panels (75) are disclosed herein. The core structures (120) include a first side (140), a second side (150), and a connecting region (160) that interconnects an upper portion (142) of the first side (140) with an upper portion (152) of the second side (150). The first side (140), the second side (150), and the connecting region (160) at least partially define an antenna housing (62), which defines a housing volume (64) configured to contain an aircraft antenna (60) of the aircraft (10), and an electromagnetic wave transmission region (66) configured to permit electromagnetic waves to pass therethrough. The electromagnetic wave transmission region (66) defines a plurality of kite-shaped voids (130) arranged in a repeating pattern and bounded by a corresponding plurality of walls (170), at least 10% of which extends at least substantially perpendicular to a surface (122/124) that bounds the electromagnetic wave transmission region (66).

An aircraft has a fuselage, a wing assembly coupleable to the fuselage, and an empennage including a pair of tail booms configured to be removably coupled to the wing assembly. The wing assembly includes a pair of boom interfaces located on laterally opposite sides of the fuselage. Each tail boom has a boom forward end configured to be mechanically attached to one of the boom interfaces using an externally-accessible mechanical fastener.

Disclosed is a wing leading edge antenna system (WLEAS). The WLEAS includes an upper leading edge (LE) of a wing of an aircraft, a two-dimensional non-gimbaled scannable antenna (2D-NGSA), and an adapter plate. The upper LE of the wing includes two LE ribs and a LE cavity formed by the two LE ribs and a lower LE surface of the wing and the adapter plate is attached to both of the LE ribs within the LE cavity. Moreover, the 2D-NGSA is attached to the adapter plate within the LE cavity.

An apparatus and method are described for a leading and trailing edge antenna structure. The antenna disclosed, with optional director and reflector, can allow for greater RF and telecommunications capabilities on an aircraft, including operating at lower frequencies than previous solutions. The disclosure allows for greater capability with negligible effect on weight or drag of an aircraft.

Methods and apparatus for molding and joining composite parts are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes a tool base and a base mandrel removably coupled to the tool base, where the tool base and the base mandrel form a support structure base for a first radar assembly or a second radar assembly. A first part mandrel interchangeable with the base mandrel is removably coupled to the tool base, where the first part mandrel has first features to support a first antenna module during assembly of the first radar assembly. A second part mandrel interchangeable with the base mandrel is removably coupled to the tool base, where the second part mandrel having second features to support a second antenna module during assembly of the second radar assembly.