Low-cost radome materials and fabrication processes

Abstract

Radome structures comprising a structural layer comprising a fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite including a fiber reinforcement and a thermoplastic resin. In addition, one or more RF matching layers may be disposed on at least one side of the structural layer. The RF matching layer comprising a first dielectric constant value that is lower than that a dielectric constant value of the structural layer. In this regard, the RF matching layer may provide smaller discrete changes in dielectric constant through a thickness of the radome to provide enhanced RF performance. In an example, a resin content of the thermoplastic resin of the fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite is not fewer than 25 weight percent and not more than about 60 weight percent, which provides enhanced RF performance relative to structural performance of the radome. In turn, manufacturing cost and complexity may be reduced by use of the thermoplastic materials as described herein.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.