Advanced Array Systems, Applications and RF Technologies

2.6 AFFORDABLE AND LOW-COST ARRAYS

This section is a roadmap of the different approaches being pursued to reduce the cost of realizing phased arrays. Approaches to reduce the total cost of MMIC-based T/R modules are delineated in Chapter 4, while other approaches aimed at array cost minimization are outlined in section 2.6.1. Although the resulting arrays are affordable, there is still room to realize even lower-cost arrays.

If one could eliminate all the phase-shifters of an array and their control subsystems, a substantial saving would result. Even if half of the phase-shifters are eliminated, considerable savings are attained. In Chapter 5 we shall consider arrays that scan the resulting beam in one dimension using phase-shifters and a RADANT ...