An antenna system comprising: an antenna module comprising: a thermally conductive metal base plate with front and back sides; a plurality of thermally conductive metal standoffs; an antenna element arranged on and extending away from the front side of the base plate; a circuit board with front and back sides and including a ground plane on the back side of the circuit board, said ground plane of the circuit board next to and in thermal contact with the back side of the base plate; a plurality of electrical components (IC-1) mounted on the circuit board, said plurality of electrical components including an I/O connector; and a power amplifier in thermal contact with the base plate, said power amplifier for driving the antenna element with a transmit signal, said antenna system further comprising: a thermally conductive metal support plate with front and back sides, the front side of the thermally conductive metal support plate separated from, parallel to, and facing the front side of the thermally conductive metal base plate, and wherein the circuit board is located between the thermally conductive metal base plate and the thermally conductive metal support plate; a heat sink assembly thermally connected to a backside of the thermally conductive metal support plate; and a master board including an I/O connector mating with the I/O connector on the circuit board and electrically connecting the circuit board to the master board, said master board located between the circuit board and the front side of the thermally conductive metal support plate, said master board being a printed wiring board, PWB, including signal paths for routing intermediate frequency, IF, and local oscillator, LO, signals to the circuit board, and wherein the plurality of thermally conductive standoffs thermally connect the thermally conductive metal base plate to the thermally conductive metal support plate and creates a cavity between the thermally conductive metal base plate of the antenna module and the thermally conductive metal support plate on which the master board is located. a thermally conductive metal base plate with front and back sides; a plurality of thermally conductive metal standoffs; an antenna element arranged on and extending away from the front side of the base plate; a circuit board with front and back sides and including a ground plane on the back side of the circuit board, said ground plane of the circuit board next to and in thermal contact with the back side of the base plate; a plurality of electrical components (IC-1) mounted on the circuit board, said plurality of electrical components including an I/O connector; and a power amplifier in thermal contact with the base plate, said power amplifier for driving the antenna element with a transmit signal, said antenna system further comprising: a thermally conductive metal support plate with front and back sides, the front side of the thermally conductive metal support plate separated from, parallel to, and facing the front side of the thermally conductive metal base plate, and wherein the circuit board is located between the thermally conductive metal base plate and the thermally conductive metal support plate; a heat sink assembly thermally connected to a backside of the thermally conductive metal support plate; and a master board including an I/O connector mating with the I/O connector on the circuit board and electrically connecting the circuit board to the master board, said master board located between the circuit board and the front side of the thermally conductive metal support plate, said master board being a printed wiring board, PWB, including signal paths for routing intermediate frequency, IF, and local oscillator, LO, signals to the circuit board, and wherein the plurality of thermally conductive standoffs thermally connect the thermally conductive metal base plate to the thermally conductive metal support plate and creates a cavity between the thermally conductive metal base plate of the antenna module and the thermally conductive metal support plate on which the master board is located. a thermally conductive metal support plate with front and back sides, the front side of the thermally conductive metal support plate separated from, parallel to, and facing the front side of the thermally conductive metal base plate, and wherein the circuit board is located between the thermally conductive metal base plate and the thermally conductive metal support plate; a heat sink assembly thermally connected to a backside of the thermally conductive metal support plate; and a master board including an I/O connector mating with the I/O connector on the circuit board and electrically connecting the circuit board to the master board, said master board located between the circuit board and the front side of the thermally conductive metal support plate, said master board being a printed wiring board, PWB, including signal paths for routing intermediate frequency, IF, and local oscillator, LO, signals to the circuit board, and wherein the plurality of thermally conductive standoffs thermally connect the thermally conductive metal base plate to the thermally conductive metal support plate and creates a cavity between the thermally conductive metal base plate of the antenna module and the thermally conductive metal support plate on which the master board is located.