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Bldg. 3707's compact radome range finally operational

  • Published
  • By Brandice J. Armstrong
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE --  Bldg. 3707's compact radome range is making history. Eight years after the initial construction finished, it is finally operational. And despite several outside contracts, it was a team of Tinker engineers and technicians led by Dan Mitchell, 76th Commodities Maintenance Group Process Control Improvement Division transformation chief, who fixed the compact range. Tinker officials will celebrate the success with a ribbon cutting ceremony April 23.
   The compact range tests radomes, a weatherproof structure that covers an aircraft's radar equipment, of KC-135s, E-3s and the Navy's E-6, in a fully enclosed 40-foot by 40-foot by 60-foot room lined with radar absorbent foam. Central to the range's functionality is a parabolic reflector, 40 feet from the radome. It allows technicians to accurately analyze nose radar signals without being impacted by outside elements. The reflector shapes the circular wave-front of the nearby signal source to simulate a far-field range signal.
   "In the past we were restricted to testing radomes outside (and) there was always an Oklahoma weather system that would stop our test operations," said Col. Jeffrey Sick, 76th CMXG commander. "Now, for the first time in our history (the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center) can test KC-135s, E-3s, Navy E-6s under any and all weather conditions.
   "This is a big deal for Air Force Materiel Command and a vast improvement in our warfighter support."
   In addition to better weather conditions, the compact range is more accurate than the far-field range, which tests the radome signal at a distance of 500 feet from the transmitter, said Jess Phillips, 76th CMXG Air Accessories Avionics Engineer Branch lead engineer, who's been involved with the compact range project since 1999.
   Furthermore, the compact range also allows personnel already working in Bldg. 3707 to test the radomes, versus sending technicians to another location.
   Construction for the compact range began in 1999, finished in 2000, and was designed to perform final electric acceptance testing on nine radomes - six on the B-52, one on the KC-135, one on the E-3 and one on the E-6; though B-52s have not yet been approved for testing at the compact range. Final electric acceptance testing ensures the radome does not interfere with sensitive radar signals.
   "The composite material has dual functions - it must be structurally safe with the aerodynamic properties needed to shape the airplane and needs to be transparent to the radar, so our testing makes sure its transparent and doesn't distort the signal," said Kristian Olivero, 76th CMXG Process Control Improvement Division transformation chief and an engineer who worked on the modernization of the compact range.
   Dr. Olivero said testing a radome signal is similar to seeing through a window.
He said technicians want radomes to provide a clear, unobstructed and undistorted signal. If the radar is clear like a window, a signal can be transmitted. Yet, if the radar is like a shower door, wavy or frosted, it would lose too much power and not transmit a strong signal.
   "Just like a shower door, areas that are too thick and too thin make the distortion," Dr. Olivero said. "Also, moisture absorption is a big cause of distortion. Water is less transparent than the composite materials, so it would cause the signal to not get through."
   Yet, due to mechanical problems, the compact range was not operational. While 76th CMXG officials were trying to solve the problem, technicians tested the radomes at the already-existing outside far-field range.
   "Our plan was to replace the far-field range with the compact range, so when this facility didn't materialize as planned, we basically had to crunch over there," Dr. Olivero said.
   In the course of eight years nearly $10 million was spent on initial construction and contracts with industrial and academia experts in an attempt to fix the compact range.
   Six months ago, internal engineers and technicians successfully repaired the mechanical fault, said Bruno Morf, 550th Commodities Maintenance Squadron's Avionics and Electronics Flight chief.
   It only cost $250,000.
   "Radome testing in general is absolutely critical," Dr. Olivero said. "You can't do the (KC-135, E-3 or E-6) workload without the compact range."