Aerospace & Defense Technology - February 2022 - 28

RF & Microwave Technology
create the lighter MTL cable assemblies,
the company's engineers also studied the
modular Multiport (Figure 3) to develop
a smaller modular connector assembly
in the Mini Multi-Port (MMP) connector
system. These multiport connector
systems integrate multiple coaxial connector
contacts into a single housing for
much higher interconnection density
than possible with standard coaxial connectors.
The single connector interface
also reduces system installation time
and, assuming that the multiport connector
housing is accessible, eases system
maintenance and testing. Mating a
single multiport connector rather than
multiple separate pairs of cable assemblies
reduces interconnection time while
increasing reliability.
Figure 3. These different M8 connector shells provide examples of how multiple coaxial connector assemblies
can be mounted into tight spaces such as in military avionics systems.
those mechanical changes must be considered
as part of the mechanical structures
of the cables and connectors. By
constructing the cables and connectors
with the appropriate materials, phase
variations can be minimized even across
the wide temperature ranges specified
for avionics applications.
High humidity is another environmental
condition that can impact the
electrical performance of RF/microwave
connectors in avionics systems. A coaxial
connector with a hermetically sealed
interface may be required for operating
environments with high humidity, to
guard against degradation of electrical
performance, such as increased insertion
loss and VSWR. Moisture can modify
the electrical behavior of the connector's
interface, resulting in variations in
amplitude and phase that increase with
increasing frequency.
Seeking Solutions
Faced with the challenges of developing
reliable, high-performance coaxial
cables and connectors for military avionics
interconnections that fit shrinking
airframe spaces, Times Microwave Systems
developed several RF/microwave
28
interconnection solutions. MilTech®
Lightweight (MTL) hermetically sealed
cables (Figure 1) are light and flexible
but with low insertion loss (Figure 2).
These RF/microwave coaxial transmission-line
assemblies feature a proprietary
spiral strip conductor for excellent electrical
performance, meeting the needs
for high-frequency interconnections in
modern military avionics systems.
MTL cable assemblies are designed
to match the performance levels of the
company's well-established MilTech®
cables but with lighter weight. They
are built for high reliability and a long
operating lifetime even in the hostile
operating conditions typically faced
by military and civil avionics systems.
Engineered and manufactured with
tight integration between cables and
connector interfaces, they maintain a
vapor seal of 1 × 10-5 cm3/s/ft. for protection
against humidity and harmful
chemicals. With tight bend radii, the
lightweight and flexibility also makes
them candidates for ground-based and
shipboard system applications where
interconnection space is at a premium.
As Times Microwave Systems learned
from analyzing the MilTech® cables to
www.aerodefensetech.com
The mini-multiports are constructed
from stainless steel and titanium for long
lifetimes. They ease interconnections to
20 GHz in many avionics systems (and
are usable to 40 GHz) while meeting
MIL-T-81490 and MIL-C-87104 assembly
requirements. They feature a well-shielded
structure for good EMI/EMC performance
and a design that allows for
blind-mating interconnections for ease
of installation. They are spring-loaded to
ensure reliable interconnections and as
much as 100-dB isolation between channels
under changing temperatures and
other environmental conditions
The compact MMP modular connector
system has been developed to provide
smaller, lighter interconnections
supporting the trends for denser, more
tightly packed avionics systems. MMP
connector interfaces and their cable
assemblies also meet MIL-T-81490 and
MIL-C-87104 requirements with good
shielding via a jackscrew mating system
to meet the EMI/EMC requirements of
densely packed military and civil avionics
systems. They are usable to 40 GHz
with low insertion loss and VSWR. As
with their larger M8 counterparts, the
MMP connector interfaces can be specified
for phase-matched sets of coaxial
cable assemblies when multichannel
control of phase is needed.
This article was written by Ted Prema,
Director of Aerospace Programs, Times
Microwave Systems (Wallingford, CT).
For more information, visit http://info.
hotims.com/82318-511.
Aerospace & Defense Technology, February 2022
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Aerospace & Defense Technology - February 2022

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