CIRCULAR OVERMODED WAVE-GUIDE FOR SHIPBOARD USE

Several future Navy combat systems under development require efficient delivery of high power microwave energy from remote transmitters to array antennas. To achieve this requirement, a family of microwave components has been developed and tested. Progress is described in the design and testing of an overmoded circular TE01 mode waveguide applicable to special shipboard needs. Because such a waveguide had originally been developed for low power millimeter band trunkline communications between cities, new theoretical, design, and fabrication techniques had to be developed to meet our specific performance requirements. Moreover, in order to fulfill the combat system requirements, the waveguide would have to withstand harsh military requirements. Over several years the obstacles to the application of overmoded technology to Navy combat systems have been systematically eliminated. The effort has resulted in the invention of several new components, the development and validation of a new computer aided design package, and the implementation of new microwave measurement techniques. The first application of an overmoded waveguide to a combat system element was recently achieved in the successful demonstration of the prototype Cooperative Engagement Capability, and steps toward a production military version of the waveguide have been initiated.