A necessary requirement of an airborne radar is a positionable antenna pattern in order to search for and track targets, or to perform ground mapping functions. Historically, this has been accomplished mechanically where a radar's antenna pattern is moved on a gimbaled system. However, with the advent of high speed digital computers, microwave integrated circuits, and precision manufacturing technologies, it is now possible to build antennas where the antenna pattern is 'steered' through electronic means, requiring no moving parts. This paper broadly describes electronically steerable antenna (ESA) technology and its use in airborne radar systems. The methodology in which an antenna is electronically steered is presented first and is illustrated. Phase shifting a method of electronically controlling an antenna pattern, is presented next, comparing two types of phase shifter technology, ferrite devices and solid state devices. The paper then presents three types of phase shifter technology, ferrite devices and solid state devices. The paper then presents three types of overall airborne radar design which incorporate an ESA: passive, distribute-receive, and active. For each of these, performance , reliability and maintainability trade-offs are presented and overall technology trends are summarized.
Electronically steerable antenna technology and its application to airborne radars
Elektronisch steuerbare Antennen und die Anwendung fuer Flugzeugradaranlagen
1986
6 Seiten, 10 Bilder, 3 Quellen
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Englisch
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