A ray-based subaperture approach for the prediction of mutual coupling between conformal arrays on a convex metallic platform

An efficient approach based on a hybrid combination of numerical and uniform geometrical theory of diffraction (UTD) methods for predicting the mutual coupling between conformal array antennas on a complex and electrically large metallic platform, such as an aircraft fuselage, is presented. The local fields are first obtained only within each individual array aperture by using numerical methods. Then the mutual coupling between arrays is computed by using the UTD ray method after the array aperture is decomposed into a relatively small set of subapertures. The UTD surface ray is launched from a single point located within each subaperture to couple to another array on the same platform.