Narrowband antenna challenges for airborne platforms

This paper defines performance shortfalls with the narrowband SATCOM antennas fielded on airborne platforms. These problems include poor coverage, lack of gain to support higher data rates and the current lack of real estate available on airborne platforms to support the future installation of radio systems and the corresponding antennas. Depending on the terminal location and the look angle to the satellite, users require good low angle coverage or risk failing to close a link. Antenna gain requirements are described and compared with present performance capabilities. The resulting link data rate impacts are defined. This paper demonstrates that current antenna performance limitations result in marginal UHF SATCOM performance at higher data rates and in geographically disadvantaged areas, affecting the ability of aircraft to participate fully in network centric operations.