Abstract

This paper addresses the structural integration of a Ku-band SATCOM antenna in the fuselage of an aircraft. The phased array antenna consists of 25 antenna tiles that are integrated in an orthogrid fuselage panel. The specific electromagnetic aspects of the antenna integration will be discussed in this paper; this concerns the lightning protection of the antenna tiles and the electromagnetic interaction of the CFRP orthogrid and GFRP fuselage skin with the array antenna. The structural properties and thermal management of the antenna will be discussed in separate papers [1,2,3].