Southwest Antennas: Next-Gen Antenna Solutions for High Tactical Readiness
Adam Krumbein, Vice President of Marketing Government agencies are aiming to increase the pace of innovation in communication by implementing commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) antenna solutions with their existing radio systems. But the antenna solutions expanse lacks agile offerings that can meet the customized needs of these agencies quickly and seamlessly. Against this backdrop, Southwest Antennas, a manufacturer of specialized antenna solutions, is filling the gaps in the market by designing high-performance, rugged antennas previously not available in the market. “To cater to the needs of tactical radio systems used by government agencies, we design, manufacture, and supply antennas that enhance radio performance and are forward-compatible with future RF innovations,” affirms Adam Krumbein, Vice President of marketing of Southwest Antennas. The company’s solutions enhance the operational capabilities of government-operated radios, so agencies can derive greater performance from their existing systems. Southwest Antennas caters to all branches of the US Armed Forces in addition to NATO allies globally, federal law enforcement, and first responders. It brings to bear its experience in working with various radio OEMs, government contractors, engineers, and system integrators over the last 15 years to build optimal solutions that meet the needs of dynamic and challenging installation and deployment scenarios. Typical application areas include tactical radio networks, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), unmanned ground systems, smart city infrastructure, first responder networks, and broadcast video applications. Southwest Antennas’ solutions are designed to operate in frequency ranges of VHF, UHF, L-band, S-band, and C-band, which agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Department of Justice, and other federal law enforcement agencies utilize. The company’s solutions portfolio includes Ultra-Flex Omni-Directional antennas (rugged, high-performance antennas for harsh environments), which are ideal for body-worn tactical radio systems, unmanned system mounted radios and vehicles. Southwest Antennas also offers concealment antenna solutions (not visible from the outside) embedded within other devices for covert operations. The company also has a line of specialized MIMO and MANET antenna technology for use with multi-antenna radio systems, increasing spatial and polarization diversity to enhance radio performance in RF congested environments.
To cater to the needs of tactical radio systems used by government agencies, we design, manufacture, and supply antennas that enhance radio performance and are forward-compatible with future RF innovations
In an implementation highlight, a radio manufacturer increased the performance of their radios within a complex urban environment. The manufacturer had complaints about the below-par performance of their radios while using antenna solutions from a different vendor. After learning about the challenges and requirements of the client, Southwest Antennas designed a new set of antennas for them that resulted in a 30 percent performance increase over their antennas. With Southwest Antennas, the client improved their RF link distance and overall system effectiveness in a busy urban environment.
Southwest Antennas is growing rapidly year over year even as the company remains focused on engineering new solutions that are aligned with the evolving market demands. Enabled with a workforce that has increased at an escalating rate, the company has recently moved to a new head office and manufacturing facility in Rancho Bernardo. As new tactical radio systems and application needs are creating a buzz in the homeland security space, the company is in no mood to take its feet off the innovation pedal.
Company
Southwest Antennas
Headquarters
San Diego, CA
Management
Adam Krumbein, Vice President of Marketing
Description
Southwest Antennas specializes in the design and manufacture of high-performance broadband RF and Microwave antennas and accessories designed to be the critical link in today’s audio, video, and data communication environments. Its product portfolio includes more than 2,000 antenna products developed over the past decade for use in a wide array of military, government, law enforcement, and commercial RF and Microwave applications needs. The antennas are designed for the rigors of active field use outside of ideal lab conditions. The engineering team at Southwest Antennas have pioneered mechanical and electronic techniques in antenna design in order to deliver rugged antennas that withstand harsh, real-world use conditions to keep you connected when it matters the most
