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In this paper radome evaluation based on high resolution imaging techniques is described. It allows anomalies on a large radome to be detected very accurately. It required scanning of the radome through only a small angular section using an inverse synthetic aperture radar approach. The one dimensional image formed from field data provides a linear distribution of scattering source locations. The calibration necessary to compensate for the translation and rotation of the antenna is discussed. The technique is demonstrated through measurements performed on a large fibre glass radome.
In response to evolving USAF RCS measurement requirements, Lintex has developed a combined Pulsed/CW and Pulsed-IF instrumentation system for use at the Advanced Radar Cross Section Measurement Range. This instrumentation system, one of Lintek's Model 500 Series, couples the simplicity and high signal-to-noise ration of Pulsed/CW measurements with the flexibility and precise clutter rejection of Pulsed-IF systems. In this paper, a direct comparison of the Pulsed/CR and Pulsed-IF performance is presented. The theoretical sensitivity and throughput of the system as a function of duty cycle in each mode is calculated and compared to the measured results. The Pulsed-IF system is found to have better sensitivity and stability for short-range measurements due to the high PRF capability of this receiver. The Pulsed-IF mode of operation also offers much better sensitivity for measurements made at longer ranges, for which the duty-cycle losses of the Pulsed/CW mode become excessive. The wideband Pulsed-IF mode is also preferred in high-background environments, since precise time-gating may be used to reduce the clutter return. In areas of high RFI, the Pulsed/CW radar system has provided better results due to the narrow receiver bandwidth.
A compact modular instrumentation radar system has been developed for antenna, RCS, and general RF measurements. The MMS-420 system consists of a single, rack mounted, programmable mainframe controller and display into which a wide range of RF, IF and signal processing modules can be installed. A family of external RF modules has also been developed to support measurements from VHF through millimeter-wave bands. It is designed to function as a stand-alone measurement system, or interface with network analyzers and other external processing equipment. The hardware and software are easy to customize for specialized measurement applications.
Radar Cross Section (RCS) measurements are often performed in discrete frequency bands for a variety of reasons. Although some indoor ranges are capable of performing very wide-band measurements (with bandwidths up to or exceeding 9: 1), some are designed with very rigid illumination requirements on the coIIimating reflector(s) that can only be met over a narrow band. In addition, the bandwidth available on most outdoor ranges is limited by "ground plane" effects which make it impossible to maintain an adequate broadband field over the target. Often, RCS measurements are limited to half an octave at most. Since resolution in RCS imaging is directly proportional to bandwidth, there exists a need for concate nati ng several discrete bands of measurements into a single continuous band. This resulting band must be free of both amplitude and phase discontinuities that would affect the quality of the resultant image. This paper discusses the sources of discontinuities between measured bands on both indoor and outdoor ranges, and provides algorithms for removing them using linear filtering methods. Data is presented from an outdoor range illustrating the results on targets up to 70-feet in length.
An efficient maximum likelihood (ML) estimator to obtain the scattering center locations of a target and the relative scattering level of these scattering cen ters from the scattered field data is described. In the proposed method, ML estimation is carried out in the image domain rather than in the frequency-aspect do main. Inverse Fourier transform is used to transfer the scattered field data from frequency-aspect domain to the image domain (down range-cross range). As ex pected, the scattered field data in the image domain have some major lobes. The location and shape of the major lobes are used to obtain the initial guess for the ML estimator. The scattered field data samples in the major lobe regions are then used for ML estimations. It is shown that by carrying out the ML estimation in the image domain one can increase the computation efficiency by an order of magnitude.
A digital processing technique capable of forming fine resolution ISAR imagery of air vehicles in dynamic flight is presented. The interactive algorithm is predi cated on the ability to isolate one or two point-like scat terers in the target signature. Phase information extracted from these prominent point scatterers is pro cessed to yield high fidelity estimates of target motion over the image formation interval. Motion estimates are subsequently used to perform conventional ISAR motion compensation and to achieve equi-angular spa tial sampling between radar pulses. Existence of promi nent points obviates the need for any auxiliary information, such as on-board inertial navigation data, and permits focusing of images from non-cooperative targets. The processing procedure is illustrated with X band measurements of a Convair CV580 aircraft taken by the Ground to Air Imaging Radar (GAIR) system.
The utility of high resolution ISAR data in the devel opment and maintenance of low observable (LO) and conventional aircraft and the identification and charac terization of threat aircraft is well established. However, the task of ISAR image RCS interpretation is difficult. Often imaging effects introduced by rotating blades and jet engine modulation (JEM) can compound the already difficult interpretation task. It is easy for these effects to be obscured, ignored, or erroneously misinterpreted in ISAR down-range versus cross-range (Doppler) imag ery and range compressed versus time domain data. This paper presents cases of amplitude and phase modulated ISAR data collected from two airborne targets; a propel ler driven airplane and a helicopter, using a linear FM waveform radar. This will be supplemented with mathe matical models describing the modulation phenomenon and the resultant imaging effects
The radar scattering from a small communications antenna mounted on a large cylinder was measured at the Ohio State University ElectroScience Laboratory compact range. This paper will describe the experimental measurement techniques and the details of the analysis of the experimental. The small (5 cm) blade/slot/cavity antenna was mounted on a 1.82 meter long cylinder of 0.61 meter diameter. The cylinder was treated with RAM on the ends to reduce the direct and interactive end scattering effects, and was mounted in the OSU compact RCS measurement range. Measurements over the 2 to 18 GHz band both with and without the antenna were made and the results subtracted during the calibration effects to further remove the end effects. We will demonstrate these techniques and evaluate their effectiveness. ISAR imaging of both the antenna and the scattering term associated with the load on the end of the antenna transmission line will be shown. This will demonstrate that the transmission line and loan can be separately evaluated using such techniques. A time frequency distribution (TFD) analysis technique will also be demonstrated as a means of extracting various antenna resonance terms from the data. A description of the theoretical computation of the scattering will also be given and the special aspects of this problem outlined. The theoretical RCS data will be compared to the experimental measurements of the RCS.
• Some Radar Cross Section (RCS) measurements contain significant contributions from the interaction of test article components. Usually the direct measurement of these terms is difficult. When these terms are not major factors, they need little attention. In other circumstances they should at least be quantified. There terms are often studied with special models, and/or Doppler measurements, and analysis. These relatively expensive methods yield the required information. For some purposes a more economical, limited method would be useful. RCS measurement and analysis facilities use software designed to present data in usable formats, with appropriate processing. This software is often run on a powerful workstation, or mainframe. McDonnell Douglas Technologies Inc. (MDTI) processing software "runs" on an .HP730 series workstation. The speed and capacity of such a system makes processing data a convenient option. MDTI demonstrated the ability to extract interaction terms from an easily acquired data set. This extraction required only the use of standard data software. Results with generic shapes demonstrate the ability to extract terms > 30 dB below the return of the test article specular return
A vertical array of antennas is used to beamform the farfield used in the measurement of Radar Cross Section (RCS) on a ground-bounce radar range. By properly weighting (attenuating) and phasing (through line length adjustments) each antenna, a desired far-field pattern can be obtained. This paper discusses some benefits of the technique and outlines a basic mathematical approach. Implementation is considered, and wide band ramifications of a practical design are discussed. At RATSCAT, this basic understanding was used to examine a simple two element array. This paper preceded that study and was originally written just for that purpose.
Typical high-resolution dynamic target imaging radars have frequency scan rates that do not properly sample the modulation from rotating structures such as aircraft propellers, engine turbines and helicopter blades. This results in the scatterer modulation energy being aliased. Moreover, if the chirp rate is too slow blurring and of the scatterer can occur in the image. Often the utility of this data for RCS signature analysis is questioned. This paper addresses the utility of images generated from undersampled data of modu lating scatterers. Experimental results using various combinations of chirp scan, modulation, and target-body rotation rates are presented. Fast scan rates, typical of the Linear-FM waveform, are compared to the slower scan rates commensurate with step frequency wave forms. Images are shown illustrating how the different chirp speeds alter the two-dimensional image of a mod ulating target.
Inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) images of dynamic targets can be generated using stepped- frequency radars [1,2]. However, a stepped-frequency waveform requires many pulses transmitted over tens of milliseconds to achieve range resolution. This has the undesirable property that a target's rotating parts (such as propeller blades and jet engine compressor blades) can move significantly during this time. This results in of the Doppler sampling, and shifting and blurring in range, (range-Doppler coupling), which degrade the image quality. The Naval Command, Control and Ocean Surveillance Center, RDT&E Division (NRaD) has added a linear frequency modulated (LFM) waveform to its X-band imaging radar. This radar measures a 500 MHz bandwidth in 600 ns. The received signal is baseband converted, digitized, and stored. Data from this radar have been successfully processed into ISAR images that do not exhibit many of the undesirable properties of stepped frequency measurements
A proper knowledge of clutter characteristics is critical to the design, development, and test of military seeker and radar hardware. The Clutter Mapping System under construction at Flam & Russell, Inc. is simple yet powerful tool for the evaluation of potential radar sites or the analysis of current sites. It provides a maximum 40 foot synthetic aperture that can image a 60 degree sector of terrain out to a 20 mile range and beyond. Aside from this primary mission, it has the capability to perform RCS measurement of non-cooperative ground targets or to serve as a tactical, quickly deployed imaging system. Totally self contained, and transportable, this system can fulfill a wide variety of RCS measurement needs.
NATO and former Warsaw Pact nations have agreed to allow overflights of their countries in the interest of easing world tension. The United States has decided to implement two C-135 aircraft with a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) that has a 3-meter resolution. This work is being sponsored by the Defense Nuclear Agency ( DNA) and will be operational in Fall 1995. Since the SAR equipment must be exportable to foreign nations, a 20-year-old UPD-8 analog SAR system was selected as the front-end and refurbished for this application by Loral Defense Systems. Data processing is being upgraded to a currently exportable digital design by Sandia National Laboratories. Amplitude and phase histories will be collected during these over flights and digitized on VHS cassettes. Ground stations will use reduction algorithms to process the data and convert it to magnitude-detected images for member nations. System Planning Corporation is presently developing a portable ground station for use on the demonstration flights. Aircraft integration into the C-135 aircraft is being done by the Air Force at Wright-Pafterson AFB, Ohio
Lincoln Laboratory has developed a high resolution imaging radar in conjunction with Flam & Russell, Inc., of Horsham, PA. This highly mobile, ground-based system is capable of 2-D and 3-D imaging of targets at very close ranges to a synthetic aperture. The radar is fully-polarimetric, and operates over two frequency bands (0.05-2 GHz and 2-18 GHz). The radar is currently being used for target imaging and for foliage and ground penetration experiments. In this paper, the radar system is described. In addition, data calibration and image formation are explained. Sample imagery, both 2-D and 3-D, are shown.
Martin Marietta has developed a new, automated facility for high-volume production testing of the Longbow millimeter wave missile. Two dedicated far field anechoic chambers were designed, both automated to support component test and analysis in the production environment. One standard far field chamber is used to perform the complete characterization of the antenna and rac1orne; it allows very accurate measurements of power sidelobes, monopulse errors, and cross polarization isolation. The completed radar missile sensor group is evaluated in the second far field chamber, which can reach higher-level parameters of the antenna, transceiver, and gimbal. This paper describes chamber and test station capabilities; time reduction benefits; and the novel, new assembly technique which allows for future portability of these chambers with limited downtime.
New results on very precise, computer controlled manipulation of string supported targets suspended from an upper turntable (UTT) in the Boeing 9-77 compact radar range are presented. A computer program was developed that uses the precision optical measurement system (POMS) information for feedback to automatically control the conic_pitch and conic_roll of arbitrary radar targets to within ± 0.066° (RMS) of the desired pitch and roll. The system provides quick and accurate maneuvering of targets to any desired static position with accuracy in the static yaw, pitch, and roll of ± 0.01°. Automatic volumetric field probes are also possible using a sphere suspended from computer operated strings. Sphere movement can be continuous or stepped along any desired path and is controlled to within ±0.05 inches anywhere within the quiet zone (± 14 ft high by ± 20 ft wide by ± 25 ft).
A simple change to the HP8510C or HP8720C vector network analyzer block diagram coupled with the TRM (Thru Reflect Match) calibration leads to accurate measurements of the material properties of flat samples. Algorithms developed for transmission line measurements can also be used in free space measurements. A description of recent improvements in the transmission/reflection algorithms is reviewed. Free space measurement results based on the transmission/reflection algorithms found in the HP85071B materials measurement software package are presented.
Test sequencing flexibility and high throughput are essential ingredients to a state-of-the-art near-field test range. This paper will discuss methods used by NSI to aid the operator through the near-field measurement process. The paper will describe NSI's expert system and customer applications of a unique test and processing sequencer developed by NSI for optimizing range measurement activities. The sequencer provides powerful control of software functions including multiplexed measurements, data processing and unattended test operations.
This paper describes the most recent version of the Model 200 portable RCS diagnostic radar. The Model 200 was designed to provide high-resolution RCS measurements in unprepared rooms indoors as well as on outdoor ranges. The system can provide real aperture measurements, ISAR measurements, or SAR measurements without changing system configuration.