LOW-COST RAPID-RESPONSE EMBEDDED ANTENNA DESIGN FOR US ARMY 60MM MORTARS

Abstract

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the US Army are engaged in a high-risk/high-payoff project for the development of precision-guided 60mm mortars for the benefit of the optically designated attack munition (ODAM). This paper describes the antenna design and performance characteristics required for a telemetry-based onboard diagnostic system. Efforts executed at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD met our primary objective to demonstrate rapid response low-cost capability for body-mounted antennas compatible with commercially-available telemetry products. This presentation reviews the theoretical design and antenna radiation pattern characteristics, tuning process, and returned in-flight signal strength along the trajectory. Experimental results compared favorably with theoretical link analyses. Lessons learned, ongoing applications, and future improvements are also presented.