ANALYSIS AND CONTROL OF ANTENNA RADAR CROSS- SECTION IN STEALTH TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

The modern defense systems heavily depend on stealth technology where it is necessary to reduce the Radar Cross-Section (RCS) of platforms in order to minimize the detection. Nonetheless, onboard antennas severely decrease stealth of a vehicle because they are natural electromagnetic scatterers. This paper addresses the problem by developing low-observable microstrip patch antennas that reduce RCS without highly affecting communication functions. We designed and analyzed three antenna models which had a frequency range of 2 to 12 GHz using CST Microwave Studio. Radar Absorbing Material (RAM) and a Frequency Selective Surface (FSS) were used to come up with a baseline design, and geometric adjustments were subsequently made to the design. The results indicate that the end hybrid antenna has a high RCS reduction of up to 80 with minimum value of -15 dBsm as it is compared to the baseline. It achieves simultaneously a wide functional bandwidth of 3.5-7.8 GHz and returns loss of less than -10 dB. Although the antenna suffered a slight decrease in radiation efficiency, the antenna was able to maintain constant gain and directivity. By demonstrating that a synergistic approach of geometric shaping combined with current materials effectively suppresses backscattering, this study provides a possible course toward the implementation of effective antennas on stealth platforms.