Mr. Robert G. Schmier
Mr. Robert Schmier directs AOE’s antenna design technologies and product development. He possesses expertise in electromagnetic modeling, RF design and diverse antenna fabrication and measurement techniques. Robert has developed various high-performance antenna technologies, including active phased-array antennas from L-band through Ka-band for ground, sea, air and space-based applications, special purpose body-worn antennas, embedded and smart antennas as well as some novel ultra-wide-band antenna configurations. Robert has vast expertise in printed antenna technology and has developed numerous proprietary broadband and polarization diverse architectures. Mr. Schmier has positioned AOE to be a leader in next generation antenna technologies and applications such as 5G networks and space-based radar & communications systems. Previously, Mr. Schmier was the principal RF design engineer responsible for numerous phased array aperture and frequency-selective radome design programs while working for the Northrop Grumman ESSD/Westinghouse Electric Corporation (NGC). His radiating element design expertise included high performance waveguide, notch, and patch radiator architectures. Robert developed state-of-the-art technologies for applications requiring wide-band, wide scanning, linear and circularly polarized array performance that supported programs such as GBR, AWAP, and Comanche. He advanced NGC’s patch radiator capabilities enabling their advanced radar and communication antenna systems. Mr. Schmier was the lead electrical designer of several wide-band, low-sidelobe, secure communications phased array antennas. Mr. Schmier also developed advanced algorithms for array backscatter prediction and served as lead antenna radar cross-section (RCS) reduction engineer on significant programs such as NGC’s YF-23 Advanced Tactical Fighter, F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightening II.
Dr. Eric W. Lucas
Dr. Eric Lucas directs AOE’s EM field simulation research and software development. His group develops advanced EM field solver technologies for the fast and accurate simulation of general purpose high-frequency devices, including diverse antennas, phased arrays, frequency selective surfaces, waveguide components and RF transmission-line-based printed circuits. These simulation technologies leverage state-of-the-art algorithms such as adaptive finite-element methods (FEM), domain-decomposition methods (DDM) and hybrid method-of-moments (MoM) integral-equation-based formulations that include multilayered media, direct and multilevel fast multipole (MLFMM) solvers. Dr. Eric Lucas was formerly an Advisory Engineer with NGC. He co-developed an original formulation of the hybrid finite-element/Floquet expansion method useful for the accurate radiation and scattering simulations of general 3D infinite periodic phased-arrays. He further co developed a novel finite element formulation for the propagation analysis of general lossy, reciprocal/non-reciprocal uniform waveguiding structures with application to general transmission lines and magnetic microwave devices. These simulation technologies provided an important competitive advantage, and Dr. Lucas successfully used them for the development of NGC’s world class wide-band, wide-scanning low-observable phased array technologies. The Air Force deployed these radar aperture designs in the F-22 and F-35 stealth fighters. Dr. Lucas was the primary developer of Northrop’s patented wide band printed and machined notch radiating element technologies. His phased array radiating element design experience includes diverse waveguide, patch, slot, and notch architectures, for frequencies in the 2-18 GHz range.
