Military radomes are typically ground based, Aircraft mounted, Ship mounted or Submarine mounted.

Enclosing a wide range of tactical, navigational and communications equipment Tods designs provide tuned frequency or broadband performance where required.

• Sandwich construction
• Dielectric space frame

A sandwich radome gives excellent performance over narrow frequency bands and is Tods preferred choice for military 3D radar’s and sophisticated air-monitoring applications.

DSF radomes have been available since the early 1930’s constructed of a skeleton of GRP frames formed by inward turning flanges with a thin film membrane of GRP laminate forming the window. The DSF is suitable for frequencies up to 1GHz.

Aircraft Radomes

Supporting the full range of material requirements expected in the Aerospace industry, Aircraft radomes demand a high integrity design to withstand aerodynamic forces whilst minimising transmission losses.

Typically mounted as nose cones, under the fuselage or wing tip configurations these radomes see the extremes of erosion and impact effects

The AgustaWestland Super Lynx radome has been designed by Tods, incorporating a Kevlar and Epoxy laminate and a Nomex Honeycomb core.

Ground Based Radomes

Ground based radomes are designed to position the antenna at centre of rotation of the antenna. This is achieved by efficient truncation of the sphere, which also minimises the foundation footprint.

Four major types of antenna particularly benefit from protection by radomes.

• Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR)
• Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR)
• Missile search and Guidance Radar (S&G)
• Satellite Communications (Sat Com)

PSR and SSR radomes normally being installed together in the same radome.

Cupola radomes have external rotating doors, which provide 180 deg aperture for line of sight calibration requirements, but a full structural integrity when closed.

Typically, radomes interface with concrete foundations by means of resin anchor foundations. (This applies to tower foundations as well as ground level constructions), or where all steel towers are employed, by means of a steel foundation base ring.

Other enclosures can include military training theatres and simulators for specific training requirements.

Surface Ship Radomes

Tods long association with the Royal Navy reflect the diverse applications for both underwater acoustics and topsides radar requirements.

With salt laden atmospheres, high corrosion risks and green seas impact in extremes, ship radomes protect a wide range of antennas including satellite communications, Multi Phase (MFR) and Navigation radar systems.

Applications include;

• Scot radomes Type 42 Destroyers
• Scot radomes Type 23 Frigates
• Racal Jane antenna covers Type 23 Frigates

Submarine Radomes

Submarine Electronic Support Measures (ESM) require small radomes for protection of the delicate antenna.

Although only performing when exposed to an air environment, the radome becomes a pressure vessel when the boat is submerged.

Achieving low attenuation whilst maintaining integrity against seawater pressures exceeding 60bar demonstrates the trade off in design between strength and electromagnetic transparency.

The non-magnetic nature of composites further enhances solutions that are critical for submarine stealth capabilities.

Material selections can range from e-glass and epoxy matrices to quartz based laminates.

The final product may in some cases be further enhanced by the use of SRAM (Structural Radar Absorbent Materials) or radar reflective materials.

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