MI Technologies Completes New Radar Cross Section (RCS) and Antenna Measurement Facility

June 27, 2005

MI Technologies Completes New Radar Cross Section (RCS) and Antenna Measurement Facility

ATLANTA: MI Technologies announced today it has completed installation of a state-of-the-art Compact Range Test and Measurement Facility for the Instituto Nacional de Tecnica Aeroespacial (INTA) in Spain. The new facility is one of the most advanced antenna and Radar Cross Section (RCS) measurement facilities in the world.

INTA, headquartered in Madrid, maintains five facilities throughout Spain to conduct specialized research and development programs designed to advance aerospace technology. The institute performs test and measurement programs to approve and certify aerospace materials, components and equipment subsystems and systems.

John Wilber, Vice President of MI Technologies, said, “INTA required an advanced test and measurement facility suitable to perform a variety of microwave assignments. MI Technologies delivered a complete turnkey compact range facility that includes our Model 5730 Reflector with a quiet zone of 5.5 m x 5 m, low cross-polarization microwave feeds, antenna and RCS positioners, and the MI-2097 Automated Microwave Measurement System covering the frequency range from 1.5 to 40 GHz. The range is configured to support both antenna measurements and RCS measurements.

“Acceptance testing of the system demonstrated both excellent quiet zone characteristics and RCS sensitivity,” Wilber added. “The antenna positioner provides exceptional positioning accuracy, and accepts payloads of up to 2000 Kg. The positioner can be moved out of the chamber on a powered slide axis for RCS measurements. The RCS pylon is stored beneath the chamber floor during antenna measurements, and pivots up to the chamber position for RCS measurements. The RCS pylon can be fitted with either of two rotators for payloads of up to 680 Kg. The MI Technologies’ compact range and instrumentation exhibited excellent RCS performance, allowing the imaging of test targets down to -60 dBsm with good image signal to noise ratio” Wilber said. “The new compact range will meet INTA’s test and measurement needs for many years to come.”

MI Technologies, headquartered in Suwanee, Georgia, delivers engineering solutions and advanced products, systems, and software to address a wide range of technical applications where precise measurement, control or data acquisition is required. For more than 50 years, the business has been a leading supplier of products, systems and services for RF and Microwave antenna, radome, and radar cross section (RCS) testing. MI Technologies’ test, measurement and precision motion control products are used in research, development, monitoring and manufacturing processes worldwide.

For more information about MI Technologies, contact

E. Scott Wood

678-475-8353

swood@mi-technologies.com