University Communications
University of Mississippi researchers, with the help of three industrial partners, seek to downsize radar transmitter and receiver (T/R) modules -- such as those used in the U.S. Army's PATRIOT and other mobile radar units.
Their work shows promise in spawning the state and local economy.
"The research is bringing and maintaining industry in the state," said Dr. Charles E. Smith, chair of UM's electrical engineering department and the project's principal investigator.
With $1 million in federal funding — plus another million imminent for fiscal year 2001-02 — research goals also include enhancing the T/R module's capability and reliability, as well as making them easier and more cost-effective to manufacture and maintain. The work is part of a $8 million awarded through the U. S. Army Space
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and Missile Defense Technical Command in Huntsville, Ala.
Two businesses involved in the project have established local offices. Engineers with Miltec Inc. are housed at the National Center for Physical Acoustics on the Oxford campus, and Radiance Technologies Inc. makes contributions in radar analysis through its location on the Oxford Square.
"The businesses involved should experi- ence growth, which will have a positive eco-nomic effect," said Smith. "The research also helps support faculty and graduate stu-dents, adding money to the local economy."
Additionally, the project has fostered sev-eral outside partnerships. Raytheon Systems Inc. in Forest, which manufactures both air and land radar systems, is a possible manu-facturing source for the downsized radar systems. Laying the groundwork for the manufacturing partnership, UM faculty members teach courses on site to Raytheon's engineers.
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"Training a workforce to understand new technology is a necessary component to ensure the ultimate success of our research and it also has a direct economic impact," Smith said.
The project's goal to change the way the radar systems are manufactured points to more economic opportunities. Through the integration of radar and power technologies, Smith said he hopes to cut both the radar's weight and size in half as well as reduce fuel requirements by more than 75 percent.
The UM electrical engineering depart-ment for several decades has conducted research related to this project. Its speciali-ty, electromagnetic theory and application, is basic to radar system operation.
"There are few schools that can equal our expertise," Smith said. "Over the past 30 years, we have developed a strong back-ground in the formulation and numerical solution of problems involving radiation and scattering of electromagnetic waves by objects
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