A low profile 10:1 (200–2000 MHz) wide band long slot array

A low profile 10:1 band (200-2000 MHz) long slot array was developed for radar and EW applications. For performance demonstration, a prototype array of 11times11 elements (1.2 m times 1.2 m) was built and tested. It is backed by a ferrite loaded ground plane, separated from the aperture by 5-cm air gap. The antenna is ultra thin, with a total thickness of 8 cm including the ferrite tiles, about 5% of the wave length at 200 MHz. On average, the array has 2 dB loss over the 10:1 band. The antenna is designed for airborne missions that require very wide band and ultra-thin profile.