Integration of RF transmission lines in carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) structures

Multifunctional structures are essential parts of future air vehicles to reduce the weight and add extra capabilities. Recently, integration of various elements in the carbon fiber reinforce polymer (CFRP) panel has been the center of attention among RF and structural engineers. This paper investigates the feasibility of integrating RF transmission lines in CFRP skins. The effect of CFRP conductivity on the performance of common RF transmission lines has been studied. The results of this study suggest coaxial line with CFRP as the outer conductor is the most suitable type of transmission line for this purpose and its insertion loss is about 0.7 dB/m, which is reasonable for UHF-Satcom.