Newport Antenna Research and Measurement Facility

Antennas and antenna systems can be evaluated in three ways: "free space" performance, radiation pattern changes due to airframe effects, and a measurement of antenna-to-antenna isolation (coupling). The facility, located 26 miles east of AFRL's Rome Research Site consists of two hilltops (Irish and Tanner) with six data gathering locations and ten measurement ranges with complete fiber optic connections at the facility ranging from 7250 foot far field range to shorter ground reflection ranges covering the frequency bands of 60 MHz to 60 GHz. The two hills are 1.5 miles apart with a 430 foot valley in between. Transmit and receive equipment and heavy duty three-axis aircraft pedestals are located on each hilltop. Each hilltop has an airframe storage/work building, which allows airframes to be modified and prepared for measurements on site. The assets include full size F-22, F-111, F-16, F-15, A-10, F-4 airframes, Comanche Helicopter, and the forward and aft sections of the B-1B, C-130, KC-135 and B-52 along with a variety of ground planes up to 40 feet in diameter.