Air supported Radomes
SHEERGARD® Air-Supported Radomes use high-strength structural fabrics to protect antenna systems while providing best-in-class electromagnetic transmission performance for systems operating at any frequency.Air-supported radomes are constructed using tough, PTFE-coated high-performance fabrics and used in applications like Satcom and military radars. Used worldwide, they perform perfectly even in the most challenging geographical climates - including snow and ice, hurricanes, and marine environments. With fully redundant pressurization systems and controls, they are reliable and deliver an excellent long-term return on investment.
Product Details
Custom-engineered with high-performance PTFE-coated fabrics, air-supported radomes have a wide range of technical qualities. Peerless RF performance means they easily serve their primary purpose of enclosing an antenna system without disrupting the electromagnetic signal transmission. Meanwhile, structural modeling allows easy application to everything from simple spheres to complex custom configurations. SHEERGARD® PTFE coated fabrics can be used in all weather conditions and high tensile strength and tear resistance makes them ultra-reliable. Crucially, the Teflon coating of SHEERGARD® unlocks amazing long-term hydrophobic performance, so you never need to reapply the surface finish. Export is covered under EAR99 – no license is required. Fully hail-resistant - tested using 3.5" hail stones fired at 150mph. Capable of withstanding 210mph winds in hurricane environment field tests.
Air Supported Radomes
Aramid/PTFE Construction
| Material | Thickness | Max. Diameter | Max Wind Speed | Dielectric Constant (DK) | Dissipation Factor (DF) | Transmission Loss at 10GHz | Tensile Strength (W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K40C | 0.031in | 70ft | 150mph | 2.6 | 0.007 | 0.10dB | 900lbs./in |
| K60C | 0.037in | 110ft | 150mph | 2.6 | 0.005 | 0.10dB | 1,600lbs./in |
| Q65C | 0.090in | 125ft | 200mph | 2.5 | 0.004 | 0.50dB | 1,800lbs./in |
*Nominal values. These values should not be used to design.
Hydrophobicity
Saint-Gobain’s SHEERGARD® team has used PTFE to coat its structural fabrics for over forty years. PTFE has a high surface temperature and is one of the most inert and chemically stable polymers in use today. Saint-Gobain uses these coated fabrics in hazmat suits for first responders because the PTFE offers a broad spectrum of chemical protection. The U.S. military uses our fabrics for frontline chemical warfare protection in both suits and shelters. The PTFE-coated fabrics have been analyzed and tested for structural application to all environmental conditions.
Weather Testing
- Winds over 210 mph (340 km/h)
- Temperatures ranging from -58°F to +210 °F (-50 °C to +100 °C)
- Rain: No leakage with rain rates over 150 mm/hr
- Snow: 70 psf
- Hail: 31/2 inches (90 mm) Hail balls at 150 mph (245 km/h)
- Ice: MIL-STD-810G
- Fungus: MIL-STD-810G
- Sand and Dust: MIL-STD-810G
- Solar Radiation: MIL-STD-810G
- Salt Fog: MIL-STD-810G
RF Performance
SHEERGARD® materials use either high strength Kevlar® or fiberglass fabrics, depending on the application. The finished materials typically have dielectric constants of less than 2.8 and loss tangents below 0.008. These properties, combined in a thin, high-tensile strength composite result in an electrical thickness that typically measures only a small fraction of the RF wavelength. This provides superior RF transmission performance. This extremely low transmission loss also results in minimal scattering of energy into the antenna sidelobe pattern. The effect on cross-polarization and noise temperature contribution is also minimal.
The graph shows transmission loss vs operating frequency for a variety of Saint-Gobain SHEERGARD® materials.
Co-Development
Saint-Gobain Composite Solutions is a long-trusted partner for creating highly specialized, technology-driven material solutions that deliver extraordinary performance across a spectrum of demanding settings. We co-develop custom solutions with our partners concentrated on film and fabrics by developing real application tests that allow our partners to choose the best possible solution, providing proven products, customized solutions, and complete systems to customers across a diverse range of sectors. We help create innovative materials that provide protection, easy release, insulation, and friction control. And we seek to collaborate in making it even more possible.
Rigorous testing standards
Saint-Gobain Composite Solutions rigorously tests all SHEERGARD® radome products via software-modeled analytics, lab-scale material characterization, and most importantly, directly relevant application testing. Every SHEERGARD® radome complies with strict MIL.STD.810 testing – the military-leading standard for all environmental conditions including temperature, humidity, salt, fungus, and many more. Software modeling such as Finite Element Analysis and Thermal Analysis can yield information on deflections, factors of safety, and thermal management requirements. Application tests such as physical hail storm testing, destructive fabric testing, and real-life application exposure reveal key learnings in creating a truly optimized product. Our testing begins during the co-development process to develop relevant tests and gather data that allows us to create market-ready solutions quickly.
How can we help?
Talk to our team of engineers to start working on your solution today!