Haigh-Farr combines its expertise in antenna design with specially developed software tools to simulate the performance of antennas in real world environments. When antennas are placed in a working environment, such as on the body of an aircraft or space vehicle, the proximity of metallic and dielectric structures, (complex ground planes, cylinders and fins), could affect their radiation patterns in an unanticipated manner. The resulting change in the coverage may adversely affect the performance of the communication link. In order to avoid costly and time consuming trial-and-error procedures to fix these problems, computer modeling is used to optimize the performance of the antenna in its actual environment. Early in the design cycle simulation may be used to change the shape and spacing of structures to further increase antenna performance.