ITI approaches each new radome order with a thorough review of the customer requirements. With an understanding of the customer requirements, the level of analysis required for each order is determined. Analysis starts with modeling of the physical material properties and the physical dimensions of the proposed materials to estimate the effects of the radome on the radar system’s performance. Most applications are a trade-off between mechanical properties and electromagnetic effects, so some level of optimization is necessary. To validate that a particular design meets user requirements, ITI uses a number of levels of analysis including:
The outputs of these RF analyses allows system level requirements for boresight error, sidelobe degradation, total loss due to radome, scattering effects, and other system level requirements to be accurately estimated.
- Flat panel loss as a function of incident angle and the radome sandwich selected
- Radome-shaped panel loss estimates
- Simulated antenna Far Field Radiation pattern
- Simulated antenna Far Field Radiation pattern including seam effects
- Full-wave characterization of joint or other structural aspects