A backfire dielectrically loaded antenna for operation at a frequency in excess of 200 MHz includes a dielectric core having a relative dielectric constant greater than 5 and having an outer surface defining an interior volume the major part of which is occupied by solid material of the core; a three-dimensional antenna element structure including at least one pair of elongate conductive antenna elements disposed on or adjacent the side surface portion of the core and extending from a distal core surface portion towards a proximal core surface portion; a feed structure having an axially extending elongate laminate board including a transmission line section acting as a feed line which extends through a passage in the core from the distal core surface portion to the proximal core surface portion, and an antenna connection section having an integrally formed proximal extension of the transmission line section the width of which, in the plane of the laminate board, is greater than the width of the passage; and an impedance matching section coupling the antenna elements to the feed line.