Affordable Ka-Band Metamaterial-Based Electronically Scanned Array Radar for Test and Training
SBIR Opportunity Analysis
The Department of the Army, through its SBIR program, is seeking affordable Ka-Band radar solutions using metamaterials to support the Test and Evaluation community in emulating threat-representative systems. The work calls for a low-cost, high-performance radar concept that mimics AESA performance and could reduce reliance on expensive transmit/receive modules, with Phase I centered on feasibility analysis and Phase II aimed at a prototype. Key technical targets include 30 to 40 GHz operation, 10 to 20 microsecond beam switching, switchable circular polarization, and 20 km range, with a desired turnkey cost of $300K. Phase I proposals may request up to $250,000 for a six-month period of performance, and applications are due May 13, 2026 at 4:00 PM ET through the DOD SBIR/STTR topics site.