Antenna, Transducer and Radome play a significant role in military operation. These devices detect enemies, missile attacks and other systems that can travel through air approaching near them. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 9.53% over the forecast period.
In the current day war, these devices are used extensively for surveillance, screening, warning and detection. It can also work underwater for screening purposes. Other than that antenna has wide application in the field of wireless communication. Wifi internet, fm radio broadcasting, mobile phones all use antenna for wireless communication. Antenna is both at transmitting and receiving end. These factors lead to increased market growth.
Wifi internet nowadays has become essential for gaining knowledge in many areas as well as entertainment. With the increasing use of wifi at every home and corporation, use of antenna is budding at the peak and is so is the market growth.
Continuous technological developments in the wireless communication industry are estimated to pretence a challenge to the market escalation over the next few years. Further challenge arises from wear and tear of antenna which hampers its performance over the forecast period. Increased spectral efficiency, increased coverage, cost reduction, lower power requirement, improved quality and reliability are the advantages of wireless communication antenna.
Antennas, Transducer and Radome market can be bifurcated on the basis of product, technology, application and cost. Based on application it is divided into defense, homeland security and aerospace. Homeland security antennas are an improved variant communication network for security departments like fire brigades, military and police forces.
For aerospace and defense purposes antennas made are small, light and with excellent efficiency. Antennas in this category are multiband and wideband antennas, conformal/embedded and reduced swap, tactical, phased array, stealth and reflector antennas.
On the basis of technology it consists of mouldable composites and selective metallization. Mouldable composites use carbon and glass fillers according to the application needs. It reduces antenna’s weight, size and cost and increases design flexibility through 3D topologies. Selective metallization offers conductivity equal to that of bulk copper, ability to create 3D circuits and protection from lightning strikes.
On the basis of cost it is fragmented into operational cost and procurement cost. The value chain of antennas, transducers and radomes includes raw material suppliers, producers, distributors and end users. The market is categorized by OEM’s, direct distribution channels and Tier 1&2 companies.
Key players in this market are L3 Communications Holdings Inc., Raytheon Company, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Thales SA, Exelis Inc., Cobham plc. , Boeing, BAE Systems, Airbus, Honeywell International, Qineteq and Ball Aerospace.
In April 2014, Airbus Defence and Space launched Sentinel 1A satellite built for European Space Agency by Thales Alenia Space for European Copernicus environment and security programmes.
In March 2016, Lockheed Martin Corporation launched the fifth Mobile User Objective System satellite for Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. It is the newest addition to orbiting satellite network and transmit ground station that provides for secure communication to military forces.
In May 2013, Saint Gobain Aerospace announced to supply nose radomes for PC-24 twin jet by Pilatus of Stans, Switzerland. The radomes were produced using the advanced Norton Armor materials from Siant Gobain that gives better-quality radar transparency and in-flight durability.
In March 2014, Airbus and Defence and Space signed contract with Republic of Korea to deliver space radar called “Kompsat-6”. It is an earth observation satellite which operates in various modes (ScanSAR, Spotlight and StripMap) with sub metre resolution and two polarization.
In January 2014, Airbus signed a contract with Arlington to produce and supply frames and composite stringers on the A350 XWB program’s 1000 variant.
In April 2014, Liquid Robotics and Ultra Electronics USSI announced joint development of cost effective and revolutionary surveillance system for global maritime security market. This addresses the critical need for long duration, cost effective, maritime surveillance of ports, Maritime Protected Areas, coastlines and Exclusion Economic Zones.
