Northrop Grumman stealthy AESA to satellite comms test a success

Our demo marks the first time that AESA antenna technology has been used to communicate with the AEHF network," said Byron Chong, Northrop Grumman's B-2 deputy program manager. "We showed that our antenna will consistently produce and maintain the high-gain beam needed to communicate with AEHF satellites."

During the test, he added, Northrop Grumman successfully demonstrated extended data rate (XDR) communications between the AESA antenna and the AEHF satellite at EHF frequencies. XDR communications take advantage of the AEHF satellites' most advanced, most secure signaling protocols and communication waveforms.

The new antenna is designed to support both tactical and strategic missions. Its innovative "no radome" design allows it to bring new communications capabilities to the B-2 while maintaining the aircraft's major operational characteristics.

Northrop

The end of the bulky SATCOM randome has arrived.

reply to post by Astr0


It actually arrived in the 1990s. Speckled Trout arrived at Hickam one day with an odd antenna on the back for a special SATCOM project.

Originally posted by Zaphod58
reply to post by Astr0

 

It actually arrived in the 1990s. Speckled Trout arrived at Hickam one day with an odd antenna on the back for a special SATCOM project.

Certain it was a stealthy AESA flat panel?

www.prnewswire.co.uk... 315.html

Racal/Honeywell has spent the past year developing the required STU-III secure voice interface with the Communications Management Unit (CMU) which culminated in successfully demonstrating the system on the U.S. Air Force Project Speckled Trout. Those tests, conducted on board the B707 Variant aircraft over both the North and South Poles, resulted in system approval from Inmarsat in January. The multi-facited test flight included evaluation of the operational capabilities of the system in both clear and secure configurations.

reply to post by Astr0



Without going into detail, without this system (which I've still never heard anyone talk about) then the current system couldn't have been developed. It directly led to this, and a couple other antenna advances. It was classified when it came in though, so I won't go into detail about it.

Originally posted by Zaphod58
reply to post by Astr0

 

Without going into detail, without this system (which I've still never heard anyone talk about) then the current system couldn't have been developed. It directly led to this, and a couple other antenna advances. It was classified when it came in though, so I won't go into detail about it.

Yeah that's fair play, and of course, everything has a development path and a test airframes got to be utilised at some point.

For the record - im well impressed. Looking good for an unmanned penetrator to keep secure comms

reply to post by Astr0


Oh it's a beautiful system, and a genius idea. AESA is a fascinating system. They've talked about jamming through it, as well as other things.

Speckled Trout was an amazing airplane. It was a C-135 used to transport the Air Force Chief of Staff. They worked a deal out where someone like Raytheon, when they developed a new antenna or something would install it on board. They would pay for flight time and the Air Force would test it. They had some awesome systems on board.