Tutorials

Adaptive Phased Array Antenna Design and Analysis

Monday, October 19

Adaptive phased arrays, with rapidly scanned beams or multiple beams, are commonly suggested for radar and communications systems in ground-based, airborne, and spaceborne applications that require suppression of jamming, clutter, and in direction finding. Techniques for simulating adaptive phased arrays with both ideal isotropic elements and practical antenna elements including mutual coupling effects will be discussed. The subject of computational electromagnetics (CEM) including full wave, asymptotic, and hybrid solutions will be described along with arrays in free space and computationally efficient simulation of phased arrays on large platforms. Advanced topics including characteristic mode analysis and machine learning for antenna design and optimization will be addressed.

Attendees will receive the following tutorial materials:

Books:

  • A.J. Fenn, Adaptive Antennas and Phased Arrays for Radar and Communications, Artech, 2008.

  • Atef Elsherbeni, Payam Nayeri, C.J. Reddy, Antenna Analysis and Design using FEKO Electromagnetic Simulation Software, SciTech Publishing (an imprint of IET), 2014.

Electronic copy: Tutorial presentation slides

Outline:

Part 1 (Alan J. Fenn)

  • Discuss fundamentals of adaptive phased array antennas with an emphasis on consumption of adaptive array degrees of freedom in terms of jamming and direction finding.

  • Discuss techniques to characterize the adaptive nulling array performance with and without mutual coupling in the presence of interference (jammers) located at far range or at close-in range (near field) to the radar or communications system.

Part 2 (C.J. Reddy)

  • Introduction to Antenna Analysis

  • Computational Electromagnetics (CEM)

    • CEM Solver Technologies for Antenna Modeling

    • Full wave Solutions (MoM, ACA MLFMM, FEM, FDTD)

    • Asymptotic Solutions (PO, LE-PO, RL-GO, UTD)

    • Hybrid Solutions

  • Antenna Arrays

    • Infinite Arrays

    • Finite Arrays

  • Advanced Topics

    • Characteristic Mode Analysis – CMA

    • Machine Learning for Antenna Design and Optimization

Alan J. Fenn, PhD, LFIEEE is a senior staff member in the Integrated RF and Photonics Group at Lincoln Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has conducted extensive research in the area of phased array antennas. He joined Lincoln Laboratory in 1981 in the Antennas Group, and was a member of the Space Radar Technology Group from 1982 to 1991, where his primary research was in adaptive phased-array antenna design and testing. From 1992 to 1999 he was an assistant group leader in the Radio Frequency Technology Group where he managed programs involving RF measurements of atmospheric effects on satellite communications. From 1978 to 1981, he was a senior engineer in the Antenna Systems and Design/Analysis Group in the RF Systems Department at Martin Marietta Aerospace, Denver, Colorado. He received a B.S. from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and an M.S. and Ph.D. from The Ohio State University, Columbus, all in electrical engineering. Dr. Fenn is a Life Fellow of the IEEE for his contributions to the theory and practice of adaptive phased-array antennas. He served as the Technical Program Chair of the 2022 IEEE International Symposium on Phased Array Systems & Technology and is currently serving as an advisor for the 2026 symposium. He was a Technical Program Chair of the 2018 IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society Symposium. He

has served as an associate editor in the area of adaptive antennas for the IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation. He was a co-recipient of the 2016 IEEE Aerospace Conference M. Charles Fogg Best Paper Award. In 1990 he was a co-recipient of the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society’s H.A. Wheeler Applications Prize Paper Award. He also received the IEEE/URSI-sponsored 1994 International Symposium on Antennas (JINA 94) Award. Dr. Fenn has authored or coauthored several books and numerous journal articles, patents, and short-course lectures and conference presentations on phased array antennas.

Dr. C.J. Reddy is Siemens Fellow at Siemens Digital Industries Software. Dr. Reddy was awarded the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada Visiting Fellowship to work at Communications Research Center in Ottawa during 1991-1993 and was awarded the US National Research Council (NRC) Resident Research Associateship in 1993 to work at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. While conducting research at NASA Langley, he developed various computational codes for electromagnetics and received a Certificate of Recognition from NASA for development of a hybrid Finite Element Method/Method of Moments/Geometrical Theory of Diffraction code for cavity backed aperture antenna analysis. He also worked as a Research Professor at Hampton University from 1995 to 2000. Dr. Reddy was the President of Applied EM, Inc (2000-2017) where he led several Phase I and Phase II SBIR projects for the DoD and NASA. He was also the President of EM Software & Systems (USA) Inc (2002-2014) and led the marketing of the EM Simulation tool, Feko in North America. EM Software & Systems (USA) Inc was acquired by Altair in 2014. Dr. Reddy served as the Vice President of Business Development (Electromagnetics)-Americas, at Altair. Siemens acquired Altair in 2025.

Dr. Reddy is a Fellow of IEEE, Fellow of ACES (Applied Computational Electromagnetics Society) and a Fellow of AMTA (Antenna Measurement Techniques Association). Dr. Reddy is a co-author of the book, “Antenna Analysis and Design Using FEKO Electromagnetic Simulation Software,” published in June 2014 by SciTech Publishing (now part of IET). Dr. Reddy is elected as a member of AMTA Board of Directors for a three-year term starting Jan 2020 and served as the Technical Coordinator for AMTA 2020 and AMTA 2021 Conferences as well as the President in 2022 as well as the immediate Past President of AMTA in 2023. Dr. Reddy is also serving on the ACES Board of Directors for the term 2023-2026 and served as the Vice President of ACES. Dr. Reddy served as an Associate Editor for IEEE Open Journal of Antennas of Propagation and IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation. He served as the Chair of IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (AP-S) Young Professionals Committee during 2021-2024 and served on the AP-S AdCom during 2023-2024. Dr. Reddy is appointed to IEEE Fellows Committee by IEEE Board of Directors for the terms 2020-2021 and 2022-2023. Currently, Dr. Reddy is serving as the 2026 IEEE AP-S President. Dr. Reddy is inducted into IEEE Heritage Circle by the IEEE Foundation for establishing the “IEEE AP-S CJ Reddy Travel Grant for Graduate Students.”