Strasbourg, August 26, 2021 -- Lockheed Martin's latest development of hybrid antenna will ensure to serve the needs of a wide range of applications with a key focus on 5G. This antenna is part of a larger research and development investment in 5G.MIL™ technologies that will optimize and securely connect warfighting platforms to enable joint all-domain command and control (JADC2).
The Wide Angle ESA Fed Reflector (WAEFR) antenna is a hybrid of a phased array Electronically Steerable Antenna (ESA) and a parabolic dish and increases coverage area by 190% compared to traditional phased array antennas at a much lower cost. The antenna is also said to benefit ISR applications. Some of its key features include:
High performance gain of a dish with the beam agility of an ESA
Low Size Weight and Power (SWAP) common product solution to accommodate any orbital altitude or ground terminal application
Advances in 3D-printing technology and accelerated parts production
“We adopted a commercial mindset to quickly mature this technology and discovered there were multiple use cases and applications that could benefit from this new hybrid antenna,” said Chris Herring, vice president of advanced program development at Lockheed Martin Space. “5G.MIL technologies like this will bring greater connectivity, faster and more reliable networks, and new data capabilities to support our customers as they navigate the complexity of 21st century battlefields.”