A phased array antenna aperture able to form a structural, load bearing
portion of another structure, for example, a portion of a mobile
platform. The antenna aperture is formed with a plurality of radiating
elements sandwiched between prepreg fabric plies to form independent wall
sections having a plurality of electromagnetic radiating elements
embedded therein. The wall sections are secured in a honeycomb
arrangement to form an array of cells of radiating elements. The
manufacturing methods described herein enable arrays of widely varying
sizes and shapes to be created and used as structural, load bearing
portions of a wing, fuselage, door panel or other area of a mobile
platform. The antenna aperture is lightweight because it does not include
the weight of parasitic support components typically required in the
construction of phased array antenna apertures.