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A hybrid active array approach can combine aspects of a passive and active array architecture with transmitter, high power, and cooling components positioned in one location, e.g., below a ship deck, apart from a radiating location. Waveguides or signal transmission lines can convey a transmit signa

A hybrid active array approach can combine aspects of a passive and active array architecture with transmitter, high power, and cooling components positioned in one location, e.g., below a ship deck, apart from a radiating location. Waveguides or signal transmission lines can convey a transmit signal from the transmitter to the radiating location, e.g., to a beamforming network (BFN), hybrid transmit/receive modules (HTRM), and a plurality of antenna elements. The exemplary BFN can set an amplitude distribution of an antenna aperture associated with the BFN, HTRMs, and plurality of antenna elements to control both transmit and receive sidelobes where low or reduced sidelobes on transmit reduces radiation outside of the main beam further reducing signal returns in one or more sidelobes sections of the antenna elements. In a receive mode, a reverse can occur and additional beamformers can be utilized for beamforming the receive beams.

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1. A system including a hybrid active array comprising of: at least one exciter configured to generate a waveform, at least one transmitter configured to receive said waveform from said exciter and generate a transmit signal based on said waveform, an amplifier configured to amplify said transmit si

1. A system including a hybrid active array comprising of: at least one exciter configured to generate a waveform, at least one transmitter configured to receive said waveform from said exciter and generate a transmit signal based on said waveform, an amplifier configured to amplify said transmit signal, a power supply configured to supply a first power level supply to said amplifier to amplify said transmit signal to a power level of one or more kilowatts to megawatts to generate an amplified transmit signal, and a cooling section configured to supply cooling to at least said amplifier, wherein said at least one transmitter is configured to generate said transmit signal in a first location;at least one waveguide section adapted to respectively receive said amplified transmit signal;a beamforming network section coupled to said at least one waveguides configured to respectively receive said amplified transmit signal and pass said amplified transmit signal into multiple signal channels;an array of hybrid transmit/receive modules (HTRM) each comprising a transmit/receive input/output (TRIO) bus, a transmit output section, and a receive input section, each HTRM's said TRIO bus is respectively coupled to each of said multiple signal channels in said beamforming network section to respectively receive said amplified transmit signal, each said HTRM further comprises of a phase shifter coupled to said TRIO bus, a first switch selectively coupling said phase shifter and said transmit output section, first and second low noise amplifier (LNA) monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs), and a limiter MMIC, wherein said first LNA MMIC, said second LNA MMIC and said Limiter MMIC are connected in series, wherein second LNA MMIC is connected to said first switch, wherein said limiter MMIC is coupled to said receive input section, each said HTRM further comprises of digital controls, level shifters, and power conditions;a plurality of signal circulators or second switch sections each respectively coupled to said HTRMs in said array of HTRMs, each said signal circulators or second switch sections are configured to selectively switch connections to either said transmit output section or said receive input section of each said HTRMs;a plurality of antenna sections, each antenna section is respectively coupled with one said signal circulator or second switch, wherein said plurality of antenna sections are collectively configured to have an antenna aperture configuration, wherein each said plurality of antenna sections are configured to respectively receive a separate said amplified transmit signal passed through said HTRMs and said signal circulator or second switch section, each of said antenna sections are configured to pass a received signal to said circulator or second switch from one of said plurality of antenna sections, wherein each said circulator or second switch is further configured to selectively pass respective said received signals to said receive input section in a receive mode; andone or more controller sections adapted to control said system comprising said hybrid active array, wherein at least one of said one or more controller sections is configured to control said beamforming network section to set an amplitude distribution of the antenna aperture to reduce transmit and receive sidelobes of at least some of said plurality of antenna sections;wherein said one or more controller sections are configured to control each said phase shifter to apply a steering or control phase shift necessary to generate a collective beam output from all of the HTRMs and antenna sections to steer the collective main beam generated by the hybrid active array in a desired direction and with desired main beam output characteristics;wherein said beamforming network section, said hybrid transmit/receive modules, and said antenna sections are positioned on a tower or structure spaced apart from said first location. 2. The system as in claim 1, wherein the phase shifter comprises a Phase Shift MMIC. 3. The system as in claim 1, wherein the switch comprises a switch MMIC. 4. The system as in claim 1, wherein a first section of said system is positioned on a ship below an exterior deck of the ship and a second section of the system is positioned on a mast or a structure positioned above the exterior deck. 5. The system as in claim 4, wherein the first section comprises said transmitter, said power supply, and said cooling section and the second section comprises said beamforming section, said HTRMs, and said antenna sections. 6. A method of operating a system including a hybrid active array comprising of: providing at said system including a hybrid active array comprising: at least one exciter configured to generate a waveform, at least one transmitter configured to receive said waveform from said exciter and generate a transmit signal based on said waveform, an amplifier configured to amplify said transmit signal, a power supply configured to supply a first power level supply to said amplifier to amplify said transmit signal to a higher power level of one or more kilowatts to megawatts to generate an amplified transmit signal, and a cooling section configured to supply cooling to at least said amplifier, wherein said at least one transmitter is configured to generate said transmit signal in a first location;at least one waveguide section adapted to respectively receive said amplified transmit signal;a beamforming network section coupled to said at least one waveguides configured to respectively receive said amplified transmit signal into multiple signal channels;an array of hybrid transmit/receive modules (HTRM) each comprising a transmit/receive input/output (TRIO) bus, a transmit output section, and a receive input section, each HTRM's said TRIO bus is respectively coupled to one of said multiple signal channels in said beamforming network section to receive said amplified transmit signal, each said HTRM further comprises of a phase shifter coupled to said TRIO bus, a first switch selectively coupling said phase shifter and said transmit output section, first and second low noise amplifier (LNA) monolithic microwave integrated circuits MMICs, and a limiter MMIC, wherein said first LNA MMIC, said second LNA MMIC and said Limiter MMIC are connected in series, wherein second LNA MMIC is connected to said first switch, wherein said limiter MMIC is coupled to said receive input section, each said HTRM further comprises of digital controls, level shifters, and power conditions;a plurality of signal circulators or second switch sections each respectively coupled to said HTRMs in said array of HTRMs, each said signal circulators or second switch sections are configured to selectively switch connections to either said transmit output section or said receive input section of each said HTRMs;a plurality of antenna sections, each antenna section is respectively coupled with one said signal circulator or second switch, wherein said plurality of antenna sections are collectively configured to have an antenna aperture configuration, wherein each said plurality of antenna sections are configured to respectively receive a separate said amplified transmit signal passed through said HTRMs and said signal circulator or second switch section, each of said antenna sections are configured to pass a received signal to said circulator or second switch from one of said plurality of antenna sections, wherein each said circulator or second switch is further configured to selectively pass respective said received signals to said receive input section in a receive mode; andone or more controller sections adapted to control said system comprising said hybrid active array, wherein at least one of said one or more controller sections is configured to control said beamforming network section to set an amplitude distribution of the antenna aperture to reduce transmit and receive sidelobes of at least some of said plurality of antenna sections;wherein said one or more controller sections are configured to control each said phase shifter to apply a steering or control phase shift necessary to generate a collective beam output from all of the HTRMs and antenna sections to steer the collective main beam generated by the hybrid active array in a desired direction and with desired main beam output characteristics;wherein said beamforming network section, said hybrid transmit/receive modules, and said antenna sections are positioned at a second location comprising a tower or structure spaced apart from said first location;generating said waveform for a plurality of said transmit signals using said exciter, wherein said exciter generates a low power said waveform, milliwatts to watts, modulated radar or communication waveform and sends the waveform to said transmitter which then outputs said transmit signal to said amplifier where the transmit signal is amplified to said higher power to generate said amplified transmit signal;applying cooling from said cooling section to said amplifier at said first location;passing said amplified transmit signal to said waveguide section which in conveys said amplified transmit signal to said beamforming network section and then into said multiple signal channels located at said second location; androuting said amplified transmit signal and provides amplitude weightings of each amplified transmit signal in each channel for a desired sidelobe control, wherein each said channel of the beamforming network respectively couples each said amplified transmit signal with said TRIO bus which passes each said amplified transmit signal to each said phase shifter which shifts a signal phase of each said amplified transmit signal to generate said collective beam output from all of the HTRMs and antenna sections through said signal circulator or second switch. 7. A method as in claim 6, further comprising selectively operating said system in a receive mode comprising excited one or more said antenna elements by an incoming low power level signal, nano to pico watts, and producing a received signal from said one or more antenna elements, one or more said received signals are respectively are routed from said one or more said antenna elements to one or more said circulators or second switch in a receive mode, wherein said one or more circulators or second switches in turn respectively routes each said received signal a respective said HTRMs where said received signal is amplified, phase shifted, and sent to one or more said multiple signal channels in said beam forming network, the one or more received signals are then routed to a receiver section in said first location through said at least one waveguide section where said received signal is processed and passed to an output or signal processing system comprising one of an audio, video, radar, or information system, said output or signal processing system outputting said processed received signal for output by an output device. 8. The method as in claim 6, wherein the phase shifter comprises a Phase Shift MMIC. 9. The method as in claim 6, wherein the switch comprises a switch MMIC. 10. The method as in claim 6, wherein a first section of said system is positioned on a ship below an exterior deck of the ship and a second section of the system is positioned on a mast or a structure positioned above the exterior deck. 11. The method as in claim 6, wherein said output device is a radar display.