X-BAND BELLY RADOMES FOR COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT

APPLICATION:

Commercial Aircraft. Belly radome for Centaur, an optionally piloted aircraft (OPA) system by Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing Company.

PREVIOUS LIMITING TECHNOLOGY:

Low-loss RF radomes of this size are typically expensive to build. Most suppliers who can provide these services from start to finish are larger businesses with long lead times.

CHALLENGE:

The customer requested analysis, testing, and rapid fabrication of flight-worthy radomes. These X-band radomes are relatively large at 80” x 38” x 19” with a transmission loss of <0.75dB. The challenge was a short lead time and large breadth of requirements starting from a baseline design.

SOLUTION

Rock West worked collaboratively with the customer to ensure a high-performance final product. We performed full finite element analysis (FEA) including non-linear bird strike simulation, designed and built low cost, rapid tooling using our 5-axis CNC machine, and then fabricated the radomes using well known fabrication methods to produce high-quality structures with low risk. Integrated features of the radomes include louvers for air-cooling of the radar, lightning diverters for lightning strike protection, and rain erosion coating for longevity. From the drawing board to in-flight qualification testing, this program was completed within 4 months. Rock West’s agility and expertise enabled us to meet customer requirements, while keeping the high-quality radome development and production all under one roof, reducing risk and keeping cost in check.