Lockheed Martin develops new hybrid antenna
The Wide-Angle ESA Fed Reflector (WAEFR) antenna. (Photo: Lockheed Martin.)
Lockheed Martin has rapidly prototyped, tested and validated the new multi-purpose antenna over a period of a few months.
Lockheed Martin has developed a new type of dish antenna that can be utilised by satellites, ground terminals and space-based 5G systems.
The Wide-Angle ESA-Fed Reflector (WAEFR) offers a 190% increase coverage compared to traditional phased array antennas by combining a phased array electronically steerable antenna (ESA) and a parabolic dish.
Lockheed Martin Space VP of advanced programme development Chris Herring said: ‘We adopted a commercial mindset to quickly mature this technology and discovered there were multiple use cases and applications that could benefit from this new hybrid antenna,’
Lockheed developed the antenna as part of broader research into military 5G technology that the company says will ‘optimise and securely connect’ warfighting platforms and enable the US Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) efforts.
Lockheed Martin Space associate technical fellow Thomas Hand said the benefit of WAEFR was ‘accomplishing more mission with fewer resources’.
He added: ‘While state-of-the-art ESA solutions can address more demanding link performance, capacity, and data rates using multiple agile analogue beams, they do so at a premium.’
Lockheed Martin added the new type of antenna would also benefit broader ‘communications and ISR communities’ by offering a more reliable scanning solution.
More from Defence Notes
-
![Companies’ results boom as countries dig deep to buy missiles and air defence systems]()
Companies’ results boom as countries dig deep to buy missiles and air defence systems
Air defence systems are continuing to appear top of countries’ shopping lists but broadly across different capabilities it is a sellers’ market, as demonstrated by backlogs and double-digit percentage point growth.
-
![Details revealed on Germany’s big spending plans]()
Details revealed on Germany’s big spending plans
In May this year, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the government plans to position Germany as “Europe's strongest conventional army”. A new blueprint outlines how this is going to occur through massive investment.
-
![European Council to deliver at “pace and scale” on European defence readiness 2030 roadmap]()
European Council to deliver at “pace and scale” on European defence readiness 2030 roadmap
Two of the concrete projects outlined in the readiness report, the European Air Shield and Space Shield, will aim to be launched by Q2 2026.
-
![Malaysia’s defence budget sets out major procurement goals for 2026]()
Malaysia’s defence budget sets out major procurement goals for 2026
The country has allocated RM21.70 billion for defence spending next year, with some major procurements set to be initiated across the country’s army, navy and air force.
-
![GAO highlights the need for more commercial data and availability improvements]()
GAO highlights the need for more commercial data and availability improvements
The US Government Accountability Office recently released two reports; one into the availability of selected equipment and another looking at how the government gets data and intellectual property rights through contracting.
