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An efficient algorithm for the RCS evaluation of the Monostatic Radar Cross Section (RCS) from a reduced set of bistatic near-field data is proposed. The algorithm allows to evaluate the monostatic RCS from near field data collected in an angular region centered on the direction of interest, whose amplitude depends on the size of the scatter and the distance of the measurement zone. Numerical examples on two dimensional elliptical cylinders show the effectiveness of the proposed technique.
Time domain processing (TDP) is used to analyze the quiet zone fields of antenna/RCS ranges. To carry out the time domain analysis, the quiet zone fields are probed over a band of frequencies. It is shown that TDP is a very effective tool for analyzing probe data. One can not only estimate the time and direction of arrival of various signals present in the quiet zone, but can also estimate their frequency dependence and quiet zone variations.
A method for implementing and/or improving background subtraction performance in wideband outdoor RCS range measurements is described. The method estimates and corrects for systematic changes that have occurred between a test and back ground measurement. Results from the application of a phase-only version of the techniques to background measurements from the RATSCAT RAMS facility are presented. Background subtraction performance improvements of as much as 20 dB are demonstrated.
RATSCAT has been heavily involved, as part of the DoD Range Certification Demonstration Program, in examining and documenting the underlying principles of all aspects of the outdoor measurement process. Our goal is to replace historical or "anecdotal" measurement approaches with processes founded on validated and documented procedures. This paper reports on the results of two areas of study. These are the effects on measurements caused by wind and calculation of target rotation rates. When RCS targets are measured outdoors on pylons or columns, some uncertainty will be introduced due to the effect of wind on the target and target support structure. This paper will present the results of an investigation into the errors introduced by wind motion on targets mounted on pylons or columns. When rotation rates are determined for target collection, the usual procedure is to employ a rule of thumb like "collecting three points per lobe" or "meeting the Nyquist criterion." This paper examines these common methods to determining rotation rates, and their impact on the measurement of the peak values of RCS magnitude and phase. Finally, the significance of these two measurement errors will be examined in light of their impact on outdoor range operations as well as on decisions based upon the collected RCS data.
Uncertainty analysis for fundamental standards is mature, but the cost overhead has, until recently, prevented much of this work being taken up by the UK RCS measurement community. The requirement to verify the radar signature of new equipment has made it necessary to examine in detail the RCS measurement process and to create a methodology for error budgeting. The paper reviews some basic concepts in estimating uncertainties, and describes work on 'squat' cylinder calibration standards that have been manufactured following designs proposed at previous AMTA conferences. The moment method code CLASP has provided the basic theoretical solutions which have been verified on a compact range through reference to a precise 100mm spherical standard. The concept of multiple standard calibrations is discussed, and recommendations are made for overall error budgeting and the intercomparison of range types.
An interlaboratory comparison is made between radar cross section (RCS) measurements at the test ranges at FOA Defence Research Establishment and SAAB Dynamics, Sweden. The comparison is made in order to increase the measurement and calibration quality at the ranges. An analysis of the deviations in the measured RCS data from the ranges provides a better understanding of the sources of errors. The RCS of two generic targets are measured at the X-band. The targets are simple airplane models, length and width are approximately 1.0 m, with no cavities. A brief comparison between some theoretical results and experimental RCS data are also presented.
The U.S. Navy has considerable experience in the radar cross section (RCS) measurement of dynamic targets. An understanding of the possible error sources and their relative magnitudes is critical to obtaining accurate and repeatable results. In addition to the usual potential sources of error in RCS measurements of stationary items, considerations with dynamic targets include target range and angle tracking, calibration, and various environmental effects. The primary considerations are identified and discussed, and an error budget is developed for a particular test scenario.
In order to assess the suitability of long thin metal rods as calibration devices for both co-polarized and cross-polarized (abbreviated as co-pol and x-pol) RCS measurements, we study RCS data from rods at broadside and compare them with 2D theoretical predictions. We find that the 45° tilt angle is optimum for calibration purposes. Near grazing incidence to a horizontal rod, the first traveling wave lobe in the HH pattern is a very prominent feature. Its angular location and amplitude have been measured as a function of frequency and compared with theory. A formerly unexplained error due to a contaminated calibration is identified.
The accurate measurement of Radar Cross Section (RCS) requires precise calibration "artifacts" as well as carefully executed measurement procedures. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) reviewed several existing common RCS calibration artifact standards and practices, and identified a number of improvements. Employing a modified "dual calibration" check procedure pioneered by AFRL, this paper demonstrates improved RCS calibration fidelity for a wide variety of static RCS calibration measurement applications. Our calibration results are verified through an industrial inter-laboratory (range) measurement program employing selected calibration artifact standards.
The purpose of this project was to determine the effects of fast neutron bombardment on the radar cross section of metal and dielectric spheres. The energetic neutrons interact with lattice atoms and, in the energy transfer that results, initiate a displacement cascade that effectiveiy damages the crystalline structure of the target material. The induced damage may change the RCS of the target via changes in the conductivity or relative permittivity. Theoretical lattice damage estimates are provided for fast neutron fluences of 1015 n/cm2 and 1016n/cm2. Limitations and potential improvement of damage estimates and measurements are also discussed.
A three-dimensional (3-D) imaging capability based on a linear FM measurement radar has been developed. This capability provides a means of resolving radar scattering centers in three dimensions, allowing the more accurate feature location and enabling the possibility of separating target returns from undesired environmental clutter. An existing portable radar cross section (RCS) measurement system was modified to incorporate a 3-D imaging capability. This modification allowed the system to remain highly portable and provide quick turnaround time with a typical measurement cycle comprising 20 minutes of data collection, followed by viewable 3D imagery within 5 minutes. The entire measurement system is comprised of a planar scanner and a single equipment rack. A 3-D RCS data set varies by frequency, azimuth, and elevation, and is obtained by scanning the radar antennas in azimuth and elevation. Innovative development of useful data visualization tools was one of the key efforts in this project. Visualization approaches include employing a mesh computer aided design (CAD) model aligned in 3-D space to the image data. The image is mapped to the surface of the model and the user can then move around the model to view it from any aspect in real time.
This paper presents an approximate, practical technique for the compensation of antenna pattern amplitude taper effects that occur in near field RCS data. The technique uses inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) data sets. Complete pattern determination uses an iterative approach over target rotation angle and frequency bandwidth, with a series of near field ISAR images as input to obtain the corresponding corrected, near field, frequency/azimuth pattern data. Assumed is direct target illumination using a source with a known angular illumination pattern. The technique and its application environment in the Boeing Near Field Test Facility is described. It is then demonstrated using a near field data collection range of 100 feet from the target center of rotation. The approach is shown to be effective for target sizes with cross range extents extending to the one-way 3 dB points of the illumination taper (two-way 6 dB points). Demonstration of compensation performance and a study of accuracy achievable versus the near field image parameters used is presented.
A helicopter-based radar cross section (RCS) measurement system was designed and demonstrated during the past year. The system was a novel combination of modified and un-modified commercial off the shelf (COTS) equipment and software, a minor amount of new hardware, and extensive prior experience. Validation was accomplished using known calibration standards and existing test practices relevant to this type of system, and data were collected and processed for a number of targets of opportunity. The primary subsystems include the measurement radar, the helicopter, antennas and associated mount, boresighted video and recorder, and the calibration tools. The SCI1000 radar was employed because of the combination of its excellent performance at the desired test target range and its minimal physical and power demands. The Bell 500 helicopter was chosen for its size and its wide availability on the world market. Data products were RCS vs. aspect, downrange profile history, and two-dimensional imaging following pre-processing by a robust motion compensation algorithm.
RCS measurements at in service aircraft often require fast RCS - analysis capabilities. DaimlerChrysler Aerospace therefore extended its RaSigma facilities with a turntable and elevation system especially designed for RCS measurements at aircrafts. The designer and supplier of the turntable and elevation system was the German company HD GmbH. Aircraft with a maximum weight of 75 t can be raised to a height of approximately 13 m. The aircraft is supported by three girders at its landing gears or other hard points. The test range ist 300m long (today) and can increase up to 3000m . RCS measurement are performed in the gated CW mode. The RaSigma outdoor range operates in elevation range mode, with a special antenna design for a homogeneous field distribution over object height and frequency.
Compact range collimating reflectors provide far-field conditions for radar signature measurements. Traditionally, the quiet zone is presented uniformly about the collimator boresight and depends upon both the size of the reflector and the beamwidth of the illuminating antenna, with a maximum determined by the reflector dimensions. Targets are placed in the center of the quiet zone and rotated about the center of gravity (cg) during measurement. Limitations on target size are defined by the quiet zone bounds. For large targets with a non-central cg location, a portion of the target may extend beyond the quiet zone boundary. A technique for synthesizing a larger quiet zone uses displacement of the collimator beam by means of feed point offset to allow far-field measurement of an asymmetrically-mounted extended target. Simultaneous measurements for each offset are then combined to produce the complete measurement. This technique was implemented for measurements of an ARIES ballistic missile target.
The paper presents an example of the design process undertaken to determine the RCS response of LO features mounted on a test body. Although not unique, the example considers the various aspects which determine the accuracy of the final data in the design of the experiment and signal processing. The high quality of experimental results illustrate the potential of using an integrated approach in which the designs of the test body, the measurement process, the signal processing techniques, and validation of results are optimally applied to meet the objective not achievable by conventional means.
Operationally active hangers are not well suited for making wholebody RCS measurements for aircraft signature diagnostics. While it is much more feasible to make localized regional or zone measurements in a hanger, the utility of such data for determining overall signature growth has significant limitations. The most obvious limitation is not having all the information necessary to re-assemble the wholebody signature. In this paper we present some discussion and experimental results which explore the limiting factors associated with estimating an entire aircraft signature from localized regional (zone) measurements. An example will be shown where zonal measurement data is inserted into a reference image and then reconstructed to form two-dimensional frequency vs aspect angle RCS. It is shown that a precise coherent alignment of the zone image with the reference wholebody image is not necessary and that only a coarse incoherent alignment is needed if only RCS statistics are desired. This is an important finding which leads to conclusion that it is logistically feasible to make zonal measurements and reconstruct a wholebody RCS estimate for impact analysis.
A variety of unique instrumentation radars have been developed by the RF & MMW Systems Division at Eglin Air Force Base in order to support both static and dynam ic Radar Cross Section (RCS) measurements for Smart Weapons Applications. These systems include an airborne multispectral instrumentation suite that was used to collect target signatures in various terrain and environmental conditions (95 GHz Radar Mapping System - 95RMS), a look-down tower based radar designed to perform RCS measurements on ground vehicles (MMW Instrumentation, High Resolution Imaging Radar System MIHRIRS), two high power (35 & 95 GHz) systems capable of mapping/measuring both attenuation and backscatter properties of Obscurants and Chaff (MMW Radar Obscurant Characterization System MROCS: 1&2), and a Materials Measurement System (MMS) which provides complex free space, bistatic attenuation and reflectivity data on Radar Absorbing Materials (RAM), paints, nets and specialized coatings/materials. This paper will describe the instrumentation systems, calibration procedures and measurement techniques used for data collection as well as several applications which support modelina and simulation activities in the Smart Weapon community.
High-speed receivers for near-field antenna and RCS measurements have traditionally been one-of-a-kind, expensive, difficult to interface and lacking in software support. Advances in digital signal processing, computer technology and software development now provide the means to economically solve these problems. NSI offers a high speed receiver subsystem, the Panther 6000 series, that allows multiplexed beam and frequency measurements at a rate of 80,000 independent amplitude and phase measurement points per second. The Panther 6000 receiver directly digitizes the 20 MHz IF test and reference input channels, and includes a high speed beam controller (HSBC) to sequence the measurement process. The HSBC receives an input trigger to initiate a measurement sequence of user-defined frequencies and beam or pol states. NSI also offers a multi-channel all-digital receiver subsystem, the Panther 6500, to interface directly with Digital Beam Forming (DBF) antennas. The Panther 6500 allows up to 16 channels of l and Q digital input (16 bits each) with 90 dB dynamic range per channel. The all-digital DBF receiver reduces the cost, complexity and performance limitations associated with conventional instrumentation in DBF antenna measurement applications. All Panther series receivers are fully integrated with the NSI97 antenna measurement software and operate with existing microwave sources, mixers and IF distribution equipment.
Over the last ten years, MRC has designed, fabricated, and installed a number of compact range reflector systems. This paper presents such reflector programs illustrating a variety of alternatives for reflector composition. Such programs include the MRC Scattering Measurements Lab (SML), the Air Force Research Lab's Advanced RCS Measurements Range (ARMR), Honeywell's Antenna Measurements Range, the new GE/NT Compact Range, and the new TRW Compact Antenna Test Range. Variations within these programs include single or dual-reflector configurations, single piece to panelized designs, and all composite to all aluminum construction. All approaches present excellent alternatives for various compact range needs.