Research on the Lightweight Deployable Array Antenna and its Wind Resistance Performance

In order to meet the requirements for foldable stowage and structural lightweighting of the ground highly mobile radar array antenna, a deployable array antenna prototype was developed based on the serial four-bar linkage configuration, achieving a deployment ratio of 9.6:1. The deployable antenna uses flexible polyimide film coated with aluminum as its reflective surface, resulting in an areal density as low as 0.88kg/m², which demonstrates significant lightweight advantage over the conventional rigid array antennas. The simulation results indicate that the deployable antenna meets the structural stiffness and strength requirements under a wind speed of 20m/s. To further verify the actual wind resistance performance of the deployable antenna, an equivalent wind load test method using air pressure to simulate wind pressure was proposed, and an air pressure loading and DIC measurement test system was established. Due to the clearances at hinge points of the deployable antenna prototype, the measured deformation of the antenna prototype under the equivalent pressure of 20m/s wind speed was 0.4–1.2mm larger than the simulation value. However, the overall flatness error of the antenna was 0.64 mm (RMS), satisfying the surface accuracy requirements for the normal operation.