Phased-Array
Radar Design
Application of Radar Fundamentals
Phased-Array Radar Design
Application of Radar Fundamentals
This book is a concise yet complete treatment of the relationship between mission-level
requirements and specific hardware and software requirements and capabilities. Although
focusing on surface-based radars, the material is general enough to serve as a useful addition
to books currently available for this purpose. It covers all phases of design and development,
including the develop¬ment of initial concepts and overall system requirements, system
architecture, hardware and software subsystem requirements, detailed algorithms and system
integration and test. This book provides a wealth of information rarely covered in one book.
It is unique in that it provides a “hands on” and “how to” perspective on applying radar
theory to design and analysis. Rather than being a theory and derivations-type, this book is
applications-oriented, making it different from other published works on this subject.
Key Features
– Reviews the key radar theory fundamentals and
key concepts.
– Provides detailed descriptions of major radar functions:
search, track and target classification.
– Presents numerous examples including: performance-
driven radar requirements, mission-driven requirements
and performance predictions.
– Gives a rare treatment of resource management and
waveform scheduling.
– Presents in-depth coverage of radar data
processing algorithms.
– Displays modern radar architectures.
– Overviews radar reference architectures for modern
phased-array radars (more precisely, electronically-
steered array (ESA) radars).
– This 352 page book includes 15 chapters with many
illustrations, and figures of fundamentals to show use
of concepts.
Tom Jeffrey with
his dog, Tilly
ISBN 978-1-891121-69-2
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SciTech Publishing, Inc., Raleigh, NC
scitechpublishing.com
9
7 8 1 8 9 1
1 2 1 6 9 2
Thomas W. Jeffrey
JeffreyBook Page i Wednesday, July 29, 2009 12:21 PM
Phased-Array Radar
Design
JeffreyBook Page ii Wednesday, July 29, 2009 12:21 PM
JeffreyBook Page iii Wednesday, July 29, 2009 12:21 PM
Phased-Array Radar
Design: Application of
Radar Fundamentals
Tom Jeffrey
JeffreyBook Page iv Wednesday, July 29, 2009 12:21 PM
SciTech Publishing, Inc.,
911 Paverstone Drive, Suite B
Raleigh, NC 27615
919) 847-2434, fax (919) 847-2568
scitechpublishing.com.
Copyright © 2009 by SciTech Publishing, Raleigh, NC
All rights reserved.
Published by SciTech Publishing, Raleigh, NC
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or other-
wise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United Stated Copyright Act,
without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment
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the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Publisher, SciTech Publishing, Inc., 911
Paverstone Drive, Suite B, Raleigh, NC 27615, (919) 847-2434, fax (919) 847-2568, or email edi-
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The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accu-
racy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, in-
cluding without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose.
Editor: Dudley R. Kay
Production Director: Susan Manning
Production Coordinator: Robert Lawless
Cover Design: Kathy Palmisano
Typesetting: J. K. Eckert & Co., Inc.
The publisher and author would like to thank Raytheon for their generous cooperation.
This book is available at special quantity discounts to use as premiums and sales promotions,
or for use in corporate training programs. For more information and quotes, please contact the
publisher.
ISBN: 9781891121692
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Jeffrey, Tom, 1954–
Phased-array radar design : application of radar fundamentals / Tom Jeffrey.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-891121-69-2 (hbk. : alk. paper) 1. Phased array antennas--Design and construction.
2. Radar. I. Title.
TK6590.A6J44 2009
621.3848'3--dc22
2008042350
JeffreyBook Page v Wednesday, July 29, 2009 12:21 PM
This book is dedicated to my wife, Marie,
for her continued patience and support
v
JeffreyBook Page vi Wednesday, July 29, 2009 12:21 PM
JeffreyBook Page vii Wednesday, July 29, 2009 12:21 PM
Contents
Preface
Abbreviations
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxi
Chapter 1 Radar Fundamentals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
1.1
1.2 Search and Track Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
1.3 Target Detection, Resolution, and Clutter Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
1.3.1 Target Detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
1.3.2 Radar Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
1.3.3 Clutter Backscatter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
1.4 Surveillance Radars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
1.4.1 Volume Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
1.5 Radar Block Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
1.6 Radar Range Equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
1.6.1
Jamming Effects on Signal-to-Noise Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
1.6.2 Other Forms of the Radar Range Equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
1.6.2.1 Radar Range Equation for Volume Search. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
1.6.2.2 Radar Range Equation for Horizon Fence Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
1.6.2.3 Radar Range Equation for Tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
1.6.2.4 Radar Range Equation Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
1.7 Detection in Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
1.7.1 Target Models. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
1.7.2 Detection and False Alarm Probabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
1.7.3 Detection in Thermal Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
1.7.4 Constant False Alarm Rate (CFAR) Processors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
1.7.5 Detection in Clutter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
1.8 Resolution and Measurement Accuracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
1.9 Tracking Radars and the Monopulse Technique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
1.10 Track-While-Scan Radars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
1.11 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
1.12 Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Chapter 2 Target Detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
2.1
2.2 Target Radio Frequency (RF) Scattering Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
2.3 Target Detection in Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
vii