Transmit/receive module communication and control architechture for active array

A distributed control system for an active array antenna system employing at least one set of many transmit/receive (T/R) modules each with an associated radiator element arranged in an array or subarray, a phase shifter element and a set of RF switch elements to set the T/R module to transmit or receive modes, the antenna system arranged to generate a transmit or receive array beam, the control system comprising:

• a processor for controlling the at least one set of T/R modules, the processor configured to propagate command signals to set the T/R module elements to transmit or receive mode and to steer the array beam to a desired direction, and wherein the command signals to steer the array beam include phase slope data common to all T/R modules in said set;
• a beam steering control function implemented in each T/R module, configured to convert said phase slope data to phase data to set the phase shifter element associated with each respective T/R module to a phase shift setting for the beam direction associated with said phase slope data;
• and
• wherein the array T/R modules are arranged in a plurality of rows, and each row includes a master T/R module and a plurality of slave T/R modules, and the master T/R module for each row receives the command signals from the processor and propagates the command signals on a bus to corresponding slave T/R modules in the row.