Q-PAR Antennas USA

What Q-PAR Antennas USA does

Q-PAR Antennas USA, LLC is a privately held US distributor and integrator of specialist RF and microwave antennas, founded in 2014 and headquartered in Fountain Valley, California. Operating as the exclusive US sales, marketing, and distribution partner for UK-based Steatite Antennas, the company delivers COTS and custom antennas operating in the 30MHz to 60GHz frequency range (Horn, Omni, Sinuous, Spiral, HiRf, EMC, DF, Array, and Lens types) for defense, government, and commercial customers. Its products support electronic warfare, SIGINT, spectrum management, ESM, RWR, EMC testing, and radio astronomy applications, with a customer base that includes Raytheon, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, SpaceX, NASA, and NAVSEA.

Beyond passive antenna products, Q-PAR develops its own LinkAlign-branded intelligent positioning solutions, including the 360RPT, 360FER, 60EBP, 360MPT, 360EER, XXLPT, 360AZR, and C360MPS positioner series, plus the LinkaSat auto-acquire satellite terminals and the ALTE-01 LTE extension tool. These integrate built-in GPS, compass, embedded controllers, and web-based user interfaces for auto-pointing, satellite tracking, and E-Band link alignment. The company complements this with accessories (tripods, quadpods, transit cases, adapter brackets) and engineering services such as test, measurement, repair, refurbishment, and tuning.

The business model is primarily a hardware-sales distribution model with MSRP pricing on most catalog items, supplemented by RFQ-based pricing for custom and satellite systems and engineering services. GTM is sales-led with enterprise field sales to defense contractors and government agencies, supported by regional sales partners (RL Engineering, WLM Components). In October 2024, SolidState PLC acquired Q-PAR and incorporated it into the Steatite Systems group, enabling expanded North American manufacturing and test capabilities. Q-PAR is majority repeat-customer due to its MIL-STD-compliant, qualified position within blue-chip defense supply chains.

Name

Q-PAR Antennas USA

Legal name

Q-PAR Antennas USA, LLC

Website

https://qparusa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Q-PAR Antennas USA is the exclusive US distributor of Steatite Antennas' 30MHz–60GHz RF/microwave antenna portfolio, serving defense primes, government agencies, and commercial customers with COTS and custom antennas plus LinkAlign intelligent positioning solutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

RF and Microwave Antennas

NAICS

Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing (334220)

SIC

Communications Equipment, Nec (3669), Radio & Tv Broadcasting & Communications Equipment (3663)

akta.pro primary industry

Avionics Communication Systems (VHF/UHF/SATCOM/Data Link) (IMABAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Surveillance & Identification Avionics (ADS-B/Transponders/TCAS) (IMABAFAM), Satellite Broadband Terminals & Gateways (VSAT/LEO CPE) (HDAFAIAM)

Keywords

• RF microwave antennas
• Antenna positioners
• Defense electronics
• Satellite communications
• EMC testing antennas

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales - Antennas: Sales of COTS and custom RF/microwave antennas operating between 30MHz to 60GHz, including horn, omni, sinuous, spiral, EMC, DF, and array antennas.
2. Hardware Sales - Positioners: Sales of intelligent antenna positioners including 360RPT, 360FER, 60EBP, 360MPT, 360EER, LPT, 360AZR, and C360MPS series with GPS, compass, and pointing capabilities.
3. Positioner Accessories: Sales of accessories including tripods, transit cases, adapter brackets, and peripheral devices like GPS heading units and polarization rotators.
4. Engineering Services: Microwave and mechanical design services for antenna systems including test & measurement, repair, refurbishment, tuning, and restoration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Q-PAR Antennas USA distributes and supports specialist RF and microwave antennas (30 MHz to 60 GHz) for defense, aerospace, and commercial customers in the United States, serving as the exclusive US arm of UK-based Steatite Antennas. Its catalog spans COTS and custom horn, omni, sinuous, spiral, lens, reflector, EMC/HiRF, and direction-finding antennas, complemented by the LinkAlign intelligent antenna positioner family, LinkaSat auto-acquire satellite terminals, ALTE LTE extenders, and a suite of mounting and peripheral accessories. The company also delivers engineering services for antenna test, measurement, repair, refurbishment, and tuning.

Product overview

Q-PAR Antennas USA is a distribution, sales, and marketing partner for Steatite Antennas (UK), providing high-performance microwave and RF antennas operating between 30MHz to 60GHz, along with intelligent antenna positioning solutions. The product portfolio comprises two main categories: (1) COTS and custom antenna products including Horn, Omni-directional, Sinuous, Spiral, HiRf, EMC, DF, Array, and Lens antennas for defense and civilian applications such as EW, SIGINT, spectrum management, ESM, RWR, and EMC testing; (2) LinkAlign intelligent positioning solutions including the 360RPT, 360FER, 60EBP, 360MPT, 360EER, XXLPT, 360AZR, and C360MPS positioner series, plus LinkaSat auto-acquire satellite terminals and ALTE-01 cellular range extenders. The LinkAlign series products feature built-in GPS, compass, embedded controllers, and web-based user interfaces. Supporting accessories include tripods, quadpods, transit cases with custom foam inserts, antenna adapter brackets for third-party radios/antennas, GPS heading units, and polarization rotators. The company offers both catalog (COTS) products and custom/bespoke solutions suited for MIL-STD requirements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LinkAlign: Intelligent antenna positioner product line including 360FER, 360RPT, 360EBP, 360MPT, 360EER, 360AZR series for various azimuth/elevation control applications.
• LinkaSat
• FER Series
• EBP Series
• ALTE

Products and services

• EMC & HiRF Antennas Wideband waveguide COTS antennas from 400 MHz to 40 GHz and bespoke antenna solutions for precision EMC radiated immunity and emissions testing, with HiRF antennas producing field strengths of 3000 V/m with near-field gains of greater than 20 dBi; used by EMC test labs and OEMs.
• Horn Antennas Precision horn antennas for various RF and microwave applications, used in EMC testing, RF measurement, and defense systems.
• Reflector Antennas Reflector antennas for point-to-point communications and other RF applications, used in commercial and defense links.
• Spiral Antennas Spiral antennas for broadband circular polarization applications, used in EW and surveillance systems.
• Lens Antennas Lensed antennas for focused microwave and millimeter wave applications, used in high-frequency RF systems.
• Sinuous Antennas Sinuous antennas providing ultra-wideband pattern coverage for multi-octave frequency sweeps, used in EW, SIGINT, and spectrum monitoring.
• Omnidirectional Antennas Omnidirectional antennas for 360-degree RF coverage, used in surveillance, spectrum monitoring, and communications.
• ELINT Spinning DF Antennas Electronic Intelligence spinning direction-finding antennas for surveillance and signal acquisition applications, used in defense ELINT systems.
• Custom and Bespoke Antennas Custom-designed and bespoke antenna solutions tailored to specific customer requirements and applications, including MIL-STD defense and specialized commercial needs.
• LinkAlign-360RPT Series Antenna Positioner Antenna positioner delivering 360-degree full azimuth and limited elevation control with built-in GPS, compass, and web-based user interface, used in mobile and tactical deployments.
• LinkAlign-360FER Series Antenna Positioner Full azimuth and elevation antenna positioner with built-in embedded controller, GPS, and compass providing satellite antenna pointing and auto-pointing capabilities for satellite communications.
• LinkAlign-60EBP Series E-Band Positioner E-Band antenna positioner for millimeter wave point-to-point radio links (11-29 GHz and 30-90 GHz) that maintains alignment by monitoring link signal strength and actively re-peaking to provide the highest quality of service.
• LinkAlign-360MPT Series Antenna Positioner Antenna positioner with 360-degree mounted payload, full azimuth load, and elevation control for heavier payload mobile and tactical applications.
• LinkAlign-360EER Series Antenna Positioner Antenna positioner with 360-degree full azimuth and limited elevation control, used for satellite pointing and tracking in compact installations.
• LinkAlign-XXLPT Series Antenna Positioner Extra-large limited azimuth and elevation control antenna positioner for heavy payloads, used in larger satellite and radar deployments.
• LinkAlign-360AZR Series Antenna Positioner Azimuth-only control antenna positioner for applications requiring horizontal plane positioning.
• LinkAlign-C360MPS Series Marine Antenna Positioner Continuous motion marine antenna positioner designed for maritime environments, used on ships and other sea-based platforms.
• LinkaSat Auto-Acquire Satellite Terminals Auto-acquire and track satellite terminals with built-in GPS, compass, Power over Ethernet operation, and web-based user interface providing push button deploy and stow operation for tactical satellite links, including Ka Band (HughesNet) and Ku Band variants.
• LinkAlign-ALTE-01 Auto-Acquire LTE Extension Auto-acquire LTE extension tool for 3G/4G cellular routers offering six MIMO antennas to improve operational distance; auto negotiates the best high-gain directional path without user intervention and no moving parts; powered via PoE.
• Radio Astronomy Antenna Systems Precision antenna systems and components for radio astronomy applications including antenna arrays and pedestal-based full motion systems, used by research organizations.
• LinkAlign-360POL-10 Polarization Rotator Modular polarization rotator accessory that interfaces with LinkAlign Series antenna positioners; supports payloads up to 80 lbs with +/-200 degrees of polarization range.
• GPS Heading Unit - Standard GPS-based heading unit providing accurate positioning for 60EBP, 360FER, 360RPT, and 360MPS Series antenna positioners, sold as a separate MSRP-priced accessory.
• GPS Heading Unit - EBP Series Tool-less bolt-on GPS heading accessory for LinkAlign-60EBP Series 70/80 GHz E-Band antenna positioner systems; provides accurate heading for narrow beam line-of-sight antenna link initial alignment.
• Tripods and Quadpods Tripods and quadpods (lightweight folding, lightweight 2-inch OD mast, heavy duty, extended heavy duty, and riser assembly) compatible with LinkAlign positioner series, sold as standalone MSRP-priced accessories.
• Transit Cases Custom laser-trimmed foam insert cases designed for Q-PAR antennas and positioners; suitcase style with roller cases and extension handles for easy transportation.
• Antenna Adapter Brackets Adapter brackets designed to work with commercially available microwave and millimeter wave antennas and integrated ODU radios including Radiowaves, Commscope, MTi Wireless, mWave, Radwin, Cambium, Ceragon, Cisco, Siklu, Bridgewave, and Lightpointe.
• QLNA-18-40 Ka-Band Low Noise Amplifier Ka-Band low noise amplifier (26-40 GHz) for millimeter wave applications, used to improve receiver sensitivity in RF front ends.
• Antenna Engineering Services Microwave and mechanical design services for antenna systems including test and measurement, repair, refurbishment, tuning, and restoration, delivered to defense and commercial customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products used by major defense contractors and government agencies including Raytheon, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, NASA, and NAVSEA
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration18 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Steatite AntennasflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerQ-PAR Antennas USA is the exclusive yet fully independent Distribution, Sales & Marketing partner in the USA for Steatite Antennas, a UK-based antenna design house and manufacturer specializing in microwave and RF antennas operating between 30MHz to 60GHz.
• Steatite Systems GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFollowing acquisition, QPARUSA operates within the Steatite Systems group, enabling expanded capabilities and integration with other RF and microwave product lines.
• RL EngineeringcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional sales partner covering Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC territories for Q-PAR Antennas USA products.
• WLM ComponentscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional sales partner covering New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, and Vermont territories for Q-PAR Antennas USA products.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Commscope: Global telecom infrastructure vendor with a broad antenna and RF component portfolio spanning wireless, broadcast, and defense-adjacent markets; competes with Q-PAR's commercial/SATCOM antenna offering and is named as an integration partner.
• Pasternack (Infinite Electronics): Catalog and custom RF/microwave component distributor covering antennas, connectors, and amplifiers across commercial and defense users; comparable in distribution model and breadth of RF product offering though broader and less defense-specialized than Q-PAR.
• Cobham Advanced Electronic Solutions: Large defense electronics integrator offering antennas and RF subsystems across EW, SIGINT, and avionics; broader portfolio and deeper program integrations make it a larger, more diversified competitor to Q-PAR's defense antenna niche.
• Rohde & Schwarz: Global test & measurement, RF, and defense electronics major with its own antenna line for EMC and spectrum monitoring; competes with Q-PAR's EMC and high-frequency test antennas while also being a named Q-PAR customer/program partner.

Direct peers

• ETS-Lindgren: Specialist manufacturer of EMC and RF test antennas used for radiated immunity and emissions testing; directly comparable to Q-PAR's EMC/HiRF antenna portfolio and a named Q-PAR customer, sharing the same compliance-testing buyer.
• Flann Microwave: UK-based manufacturer of precision microwave antennas, waveguide components, and calibration standards serving defense and research labs; overlaps Q-PAR's 30MHz–60GHz horn, lens, and custom antenna offerings for EW and EMC test users.
• Steatite Antennas: UK-based antenna design and manufacturing house; Q-PAR's exclusive upstream supplier and parent-group affiliate producing the same 30MHz–60GHz microwave and RF antennas that Q-PAR distributes in the US.
• Antenna Products Corporation: US custom and standard antenna manufacturer focused on HF/VHF/UHF and broadband antennas for defense, industrial, and commercial users; comparable in its custom-design-plus-COTS business model and defense customer base to Q-PAR.
• mWave: Specialty microwave antenna and reflector supplier serving SATCOM, defense electronics, and test & measurement customers; comparable to Q-PAR's reflector antenna and adapter bracket ecosystem for commercial radio ODUs.
• CPI International: US-based supplier of RF and microwave components including antennas and amplifiers for defense, communications, and scientific markets; competes for similar RF/microwave antenna sockets and is itself a Q-PAR customer/program partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Q-PAR Antennas USA