System and integration aspects of a CRPA SIA

The increasing number of avionics functions for communication, navigation, identification, electronic warfare and payload communication require new solutions for antennas and RF systems. The requirements are driven by the overall improvement of the air vehicle performance as well as for the related avionics system performance. However the available installation locations are limited due to access restrictions and antenna interference problems. Therefore new integration areas have to be identified and new integration and installation concepts are required. All these challenges can be solved by the use of structural integrated antennas. Latest research activities are now including solutions for navigation systems as well. Within the NATO Research Group SET-131 together with Fraunhofer FHR and DLR a joint demonstrator about a structurally integrated controlled radiation pattern antenna for satellite based navigation systems, e.g. GPS, has been developed, manufactured and tested and described in this paper.