Locked on Missile Technology
Missile technology is rapidly evolving, and Radiall has the expertise to give your product the technological advantage.
There are three major challenges to electronics design inside missiles: very small spaces, extreme mechanical force (vibration, flexion and acceleration) and extreme high temperatures. Each of these presents unique challenges that Radiall has solutions for.
In off-the–shelf technology, Radiall has products perfect for missile applications.
Challenge: Small Spaces
Electronics, especially circuit card design in a small space, is always challenging. Mixing power, digital and RF signals through several layers while inside of a missile body is even harder.
Radiall’s engineers have designed the IMP-SR. This board-to-board connector combines power, digital and RF capabilities all in the same form factor.
For RF, IMP-SR has half the loss (.5 dB vs. 1 dB in the X-band) and 20% less noise (VSWR/system noise temperature). It is designed to perform at higher frequencies up to and including mm-wave and performs best in the Ka band.
For digital signals, the IMP-SR has exceptional performance, with PAM4@20ps, it can reach 100 Gbps.
For power, the IMP-SR can carry up to 20 watts.
By combining these capabilities into one part that has the same dimensions, IMP-SR simplifies circuit card stacking/mezzanine design, making development faster and reducing excess links in the supply chain.
IMP-SR part numbers: R107825000, 010, 020; R107838000, R107833000
Also important in small spaces are highly flexible cable assemblies. Radiall offers an ultra flexible RF cable assembly product line that has a very low resistance to manipulation (low bending moment) and high durability (1 million flexes). These cables can make tight turns around obstacles with a radius as small as 0.4” without losing signal performance. This is perfect for following the contour of a mezzanine assembly inside a small body or even inside a flight control surface.
Ultra Flexible Cable Assembly part numbers: SHF2.2UF, SHF3UF, SHF5UP
Challenge: Extreme Force
Forces on missiles are extreme – so extreme that regular connectors can fail due to acceleration force and/or vibration and deflection in flight. Connector failure = loss of signal. Loss of signal = missed targets.
Radiall has specially designed connectors to ensure connection under extreme forces and in tight spaces. The SMP-LOCK and SMPM-LOCK connectors have reduced RF leakage over slide on connectors and won’t vibrate loose like threaded connectors.
SMP-LOCK works best up to 40 GHz (Ka band) and has a retention force of 1,500 newtons (330 pounds)
SMPM-LOCK works best up to 67 GHz (V Band) and has a retention force of 1,000 Newtons (225 pounds).
Radiall’s quick lock and secure connectors use a locking collar that does not require side access for tightening/torquing. The collar can be locked and unlocked by hand, but there is also an installation tool. The tool only requires a clearance of 3.8mm (0.15”) to lock and unlock the connector, making it perfect for ultra-tight spaces.
SMP-LOCK part numbers: Plug: R222L80010, 20; Socket: R222L10010, 20, 40; SMP-LOCK Tool: R282868300
SMPM-LOCK part numbers: Plug: R201L80000; Socket: R201L00010
Challenge: Extreme Temperature
Radiall also has all new, customizable products created with the challenges of missile design in mind.
Objects traveling at high speeds create friction with the air around them, which creates heat. In the case of missiles traveling at double the speed of sound and faster, the heat from air friction is extreme. At the forward tip of the missile, temperatures can be in the thousands of degrees, while inside the body of the missile, temperatures rise in excess of 500°F. Regular RF cable assemblies can only withstand 200-400°F before losing phase stability, causing inaccurate or unreadable transmissions. Radiall has engineered solutions for carrying signals in extreme temperature environments.
Radiall’s SiO2 semi-rigid cables perform in temperatures up to 1,100°F without loss of phase stability – and even higher without damage. Semi-rigid cable assemblies are precision bent per the customer spec and are radiation resistant.
Cable sizes available: 0.085”, 0,141”, 0.270” (all optimized for operation up to 18 GHz)
Connecting missiles to their controllers requires special antennas that can be integrated into the missile body shape, fit inside a small space and withstand extreme mechanical force and extreme high temperatures.
Radiall also has experience designing and producing specialized dual band GPS antennas and C band inertial navigation antennas for missiles. These antennas are custom molded for the arc of the body of the specific missile; they can withstand temperatures in the 600°F range and can be as thin as 0.100”.
Don’t stress about the performance of your connections. Let the experts at Radiall help you design interconnects specific to your application! Contact us today.