The development by students of Novosibirsk State Technical University (NETI) will provide the ability to effectively detect, suppress and neutralize electronic threats in a wide range of frequencies.
Electronic warfare (EW) systems are essential to ensure the security of the country, they are necessary to protect critical infrastructure facilities. One of the main elements of such systems is the antenna, which must provide high accuracy and efficiency when operating over a wide frequency range.
One of the main elements of such systems is the antenna, which must provide high accuracy and efficiency when operating over a wide frequency range. "Currently, the topic of electronic warfare and countering drone attacks is particularly relevant. Therefore, a system operating in a wide frequency range is needed, capable of covering the entire operating band in order to prevent the drone from reaching the target. The main task that our project solves is to expand the operating frequency band of antennas for electronic warfare systems while maintaining an acceptable gain in the entire frequency band. We conducted a study of existing technologies and solutions in the field of antenna arrays for broadband radiators, performed calculations, developed a model of the radiator and conducted modeling taking into account the requirements for operation in the frequency range from 400 MHz to 6 GHz," said Evgeny Russian, a 4th—year student at the Faculty of Radio Engineering and Electronics at NSTU-NETI.
Based on the results of the work, a prototype broadband radiator of the antenna array of the electronic warfare system was manufactured, and a set of design documentation was prepared. The prototype of the device is made on a dielectric substrate made of 1.5 mm thick fiberglass, on the surface of which a special pattern is applied.
"The proposed antenna has a flat design, which greatly simplifies and reduces the cost of its production process compared to its volumetric counterparts, and also provides advantages in weight and overall characteristics. The antenna is competitive not only due to its cost, but also due to its high gain (the gain of our antenna is 9.5dB, the gain of similar antennas is from 6 to 9 dB) and a wide operating frequency band," Evgeny emphasized.
The development team is currently at the stage of filing a patent application for an invention. After the patent is obtained, students will offer the development to several enterprises. Future plans include the development of an antenna array with a set of radiating elements arranged in a certain order.
In December last year, the model development took 1st place in the Engineering Projects nomination (senior league) at the NSTU-NETI student project competition.