Tactical Vest Antenna System (TVAS) is a type of wearable

antenna Antenna ( antennas or antennae) may refer to: Science and engineering * Antenna (radio), also known as an aerial, a transducer designed to transmit or receive electromagnetic (e.g., TV or radio) waves * Antennae Galaxies, the name of two collid ...

designed for use by the

United States Armed Forces The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...

. It is claimed that troops equipped with the TVAS are more effective than those equipped with conventional

whip antenna A whip antenna is an antenna consisting of a straight flexible wire or rod. The bottom end of the whip is connected to the radio receiver or transmitter. A whip antenna is a form of monopole antenna. The antenna is designed to be flexible so th ...

s due to better concealment of the equipment and improved mobility of the operator. TVAS was developed by Wearable Antenna Technologies Inc. in early 2008.

Implementation

The Tactical Vest Antenna System is designed to be concealed within Small Arms Protective Insert pouches found on contemporary body armor such as

Interceptor body armor The Interceptor Multi-Threat Body Armor System (IBA) is a bullet-resistant body armor system that was used by the United States Armed Forces during the 2000s, with some limited usage into the mid-2010s. IBA and its design replaced the older stan ...

, Modular Tactical Vest, Full Spectrum Battle Equipment,

Combat Integrated Releasable Armor System CIRAS (Combat Integrated Releasable Armor System) is a modular protective vest designed for US Special Operations Forces by Eagle Industries. The vest is currently the new FSBE II system, and has replaced the FSBE AAVs. It features PALS webbing ...

Modular Body Armor Vest The Modular Body Armor Vest (MBAV) is a bullet-proof vest made by Eagle Industries and used by the United States military. The vest is standard issue for many members of the United States special operations forces including the 75th Ranger Regim ...

and virtually any other type of body armor that utilizes SAPI or ESAPI plates. The radiating elements' placement is barely noticeable due to their thinness, approximately and their curved shape that lies flush against the shape of ESAPI plates. Hiding away the radiating elements brings more mobility to the operator when compared to

s traditionally used by the military. TVAS is compatible with AN/PRC-148 MBITR, AN/PRC-152, and other common radios used by the U.S. military.

Safety

If power is increased over 7 watts there could be safety issues with temperature increase. However, at the operating frequencies of the antenna,

ionizing radiation Ionizing radiation (or ionising radiation), including nuclear radiation, consists of subatomic particles or electromagnetic waves that have sufficient energy to ionize atoms or molecules by detaching electrons from them. Some particles can travel ...

is not a factor. Additionally, the antenna is intended to be placed on the outside of SAPI plates, providing a significant barrier between the radiating element and the operator.DefenseNews.com - Wearable Antenna Hides Your Whip Under Your Vest
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Technical details

The Tactical Vest Antenna System consists of two radiating elements that are connected by a cable. The cable acts as an extension of the radiating elements, and includes a "quick release" mechanism found in MTV and FSBE designs. Each of the radiating elements of the antenna is laminated between two sheets of

polycarbonate Polycarbonates (PC) are a group of thermoplastic polymers containing carbonate groups in their chemical structures. Polycarbonates used in engineering are strong, tough materials, and some grades are optically transparent. They are easily work ...

plastic.

References

{{reflist Military electronics of the United States Military radio systems of the United States Military equipment introduced in the 2000s

Implementation

Safety

Technical details

See also

References