Antenna Production and Development Testing Capabilites
Antenna Production and Development testing capabilities at L3Harris are typically divided into electrical RF and environmental testing.
Our antenna ranges provide high measurement accuracy over a wide range of frequencies and antenna types and size.
L3Harris’ capabilities include:
- 3,000 square foot all-weather far field range
- Compact range
- More than 5 testing anechoic chambers
Far Field Test Range
L3Harris’ Far Field Laboratory consists of a 3,000 square foot canyon test range with a modern 15,000 square foot receiving station.
- Environmentally controlled and pressurized receiving station
- Three test stations which can accommodate antennas up to 30 feet in diameter and weighing up to 20,000 pounds to include E-2 and AWACS/E-3 antennas, with two remotely operated Far Field transmitter stations
RF capabilities include:
- Up to 50k Watts of transmission power, in continuous or square waves
- Pulse, frequency and phase modulation
- 3-axis positioners (Azimuth-over-Elevation over Azimuth), mounted on elevators
- UHF through S-Band frequency range
Anechoic Chambers
Anechoic chambers test smaller spiral and sinuous antennas:
- Frequencies from 0.5 GHz up to 100 GHz
- RF sources with broadband amplifiers and very wideband rotating linearly polarized horns
- The compact range is capable of testing both Radar Cross-Section (RCS) and measuring antenna gain and patterns
Test station capabilities include remote control of:
- Antenna beam selection
- Azimuth
- Elevation
- Frequency
- Polarization
- Position
- Power
The equipment can also take readings of the angle, power and phase received, under static or dynamic conditions.
- Utilizes the industry-leading Orbit/FR 959 Spectrum System and specialized analysis software, to test and evaluate all antennas
- Controls RF sources and positioning equipment
- Standard and customized data analysis routines with built-in calibration
- Manages fast data acquisition and reduction, with automated report generation
Salt Fog, Temperature, Altitude, Tensile and Vibration testing equipment located in a secure environmental chamber.
L3Harris’ in-house testing capability simulates a wide range of environmental conditions typically required in flight applications in accordance with MIL-STD-810 requirements.
Mechanical testing uses various tools including a LING Model 540A shaker with our capabilities, including:
- Vibe testing 12,000 Pounds Force RMS or 24,000 Pounds Force Peak Shock with random or sine vectors, maximum of 2-inch displacement and frequency response of 5 Hz to 2000 Hz
- Tensile, shear, torque, or compressive structural loads up to 20,000 pounds
Our laboratories are equipped with a variety of temperatures, temperature/altitude and temperature/humidity chambers capable of:
- -65 degrees C to +150 degrees C and altitudes from sea level to 78,000 feet
- 0 to 95% relative humidity environments at temperatures to +150 degrees C
Finally, we have a salt fog chamber which replicates military standard test exposure requirements.
