Experienced design assistance.

Design & Consulting

The experienced team at The Howland Company offers professional design and consulting services to clients across the U.S. and worldwide. Serving the aerospace, defense, and commercial industries, our expertise includes antenna range design, radar cross-section facility design, electromagnetic shielding design, and more.

antenna range design contractors
Multi-industry experience.

Antenna Range Design

The Howland Company has been involved in antenna range design since the company was founded. We have the experience to assist in the design and layout of outdoor ranges, indoor ranges (anechoic chambers), and compact ranges.

Outdoor Ranges

We have developed solutions for a number of clients, including Ford Aerospace, Motorola, Gabriel, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab. We can also provide evaluations of existing outdoor ranges, including field probing and problem identification and resolution.

outdoor antenna range design | The Howland Company
outdoor antenna range evaluations | The Howland Company

Indoor Ranges (Anechoic Chambers)

The Howland Company has designed and evaluated anechoic chambers of all sizes, including Installed System Test Facilities (ISTFs). We have also been tasked with evaluating existing chambers and improving their performance.

anchoic chamber design and consulting
Photo by Sandia National Laboratories.
indoor antenna range design

Compact Ranges

The Howland Company has been involved in numerous compact range projects, including those used for antenna, radome, and RCS measurements. Typically, we are responsible for the overall electromagnetic design, including the design of the anechoic material and the shielding. Often, our role also includes developing a conceptual design and procedures for the test article handling system.

compact range design
Photo by Sue Sapp, USAF.
compact antenna range consultants
Photo by Senior Airman Julianne Showalter, USAF.

Radar Cross-Section (RCS) Facilities

The Howland Company has been involved in the design and evaluation of radar cross-section measurement facilities since the early 1980s. We have pioneered different chamber and anechoic material configurations to reduce the background level of reflected signals.

Outdoor RCS Ranges

Our senior engineering staff has many years of experience both designing and managing day-to-day operations of outdoor RCS ranges, including some of the most important static and dynamic range facilities in the U.S. Outdoor RCS ranges are described as static, with the target supported on a low-RCS pylon or column, or dynamic, with the target moving (e.g., flying) through the field of view of the range instrumentation.

calibrating VA-100-D Series Gain Standard Dipoles
Photo by USAF.
VA-100-D Series Gain Standard Dipoles for wireless test labs
Photo by USAF.

Compact Range RCS Measurement Facilities

In the 1980s, there was tremendous interest in adapting the compact range for radar cross-section measurements, but significant changes were required to make compact ranges suitable for taking RCS measurements of large targets.

Very large compact range reflectors were built to increase the quiet zone size and extend the lowest frequency of operation. At the same time, the edges of the reflector were redesigned to reduce the diffraction effects from the edge. When it was found that the anechoic material in the chamber was the limiting factor, The Howland Company was tasked with providing the overall electromagnetic design and improved designs for the anechoic material’s layout.

compact range for RCS measurements
Photo by US Navy.
compact range RCS facilities
Photo by Hughes Aircraft.

RCS Imaging Facilities

One intriguing problem has been how to test a stealth vehicle after manufacturing to ensure that it is indeed “stealthy.” An imaging system can operate in an echoic chamber (one without anechoic material) and provide data on the low observable characteristics of the vehicle. The Howland Company has provided design and engineering services for three different imaging systems, two for Lockheed-Martin and one for Boeing.

imaging systems for echoic chambers
RCS imaging facilities
Photo by Peter George, Boeing.

Radar Cross-Section (RCS) Facilities

The Howland Company has been involved in the design and evaluation of radar cross-section measurement facilities since the early 1980s. We have pioneered different chamber and anechoic material configurations to reduce the background level of reflected signals.

Outdoor RCS Ranges

Our senior engineering staff has many years of experience both designing and managing day-to-day operations of outdoor RCS ranges, including some of the most important static and dynamic range facilities in the U.S. Outdoor RCS ranges are described as static, with the target supported on a low-RCS pylon or column, or dynamic, with the target moving (e.g., flying) through the field of view of the range instrumentation.

calibrating VA-100-D Series Gain Standard Dipoles
Photo by USAF.
VA-100-D Series Gain Standard Dipoles for wireless test labs
Photo by USAF.

Compact Range RCS Measurement Facilities

In the 1980s, there was tremendous interest in adapting the compact range for radar cross-section measurements, but significant changes were required to make compact ranges suitable for taking RCS measurements of large targets.

Very large compact range reflectors were built to increase the quiet zone size and extend the lowest frequency of operation. At the same time, the edges of the reflector were redesigned to reduce the diffraction effects from the edge. When it was found that the anechoic material in the chamber was the limiting factor, The Howland Company was tasked with providing the overall electromagnetic design and improved designs for the anechoic material’s layout.

compact range for RCS measurements
Photo by US Navy.
compact range RCS facilities
Photo by Hughes Aircraft.

RCS Imaging Facilities

One intriguing problem has been how to test a stealth vehicle after manufacturing to ensure that it is indeed “stealthy.” An imaging system can operate in an echoic chamber (one without anechoic material) and provide data on the low observable characteristics of the vehicle. The Howland Company has provided design and engineering services for three different imaging systems, two for Lockheed-Martin and one for Boeing.

imaging systems for echoic chambers
RCS imaging facilities
Photo by Peter George, Boeing.
RF/Antenna Test Facilities | The Howland Company

RF/Antenna Test Facilities

With the capabilities to design testing facilities of any size and scope, including ISTFs, we will evaluate your needs and specifications in order to recommend the appropriate test method for your facility. Then, we can design the physical parameters of the antenna range to meet the specific test requirements.

electromagnetic shielding services
Photo by US Navy.

Electromagnetic Shielding & ICD 705 Facilities

We can assist in the design of electromagnetic shielding and ICD 705 facilities. Such facilities present an electromagnetic barrier to the outside world in order to protect sensitive information inside the facility or to keep outside sources of radiation from affecting measurements made within the facility.

For professional design and consulting services, contact us today.

The Howland Company Inc

5012 Bristol Industrial Way
Suite 108
Buford, GA 30518

Hours

Monday - Friday:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM