RADAR DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

This system is an integral part of the overall Air and Missile Defense [AMD] architecture and will provide for an incrementally fielded Integrated Air and Missile Defense Fire Control System/capability for the composite Army Air and Missile Defense Brigades. The Improved Sentinel system is used with the Forward Area Air Defense Command and Control [FAAD C2] element and is a key component to the Integrated Air and Missile Defense architecture via the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System [IBCS] to provide critical air surveillance of the forward areas. Improved Sentinel [AN/MPQ-64A1] consists of a radar-based sensor with its prime mover/power, Identification Friend or Foe [IFF], and Forward Area Air Defense [FAAD] Command, Control and Intelligence [C2I] interfaces. The radar is deployed in both an air defense role and a force protection role for Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar [CRAM] missions. The sensor is advanced three-dimensional battlefield X-Band air defense phased-array radar with an instrumented range of 75 km. The Improved Sentinel is capable of operating day or night, in adverse weather conditions, in the battlefield environments of dust, smoke, aerosols and enemy countermeasures. It provides 360-degree azimuth coverage for acquisition tracking. The Improved Sentinel contributes to the digital battlefield by automatically detecting, classifying, identifying and reporting targets [cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, rotary wing and fixed wing aircraft]. Improved Sentinel acquires targets sufficiently forward of the battle area to allow weapons reaction time and allow engagement at optimum ranges. The Improved Sentinel's integrated IFF reduces the potential for fratricide of US and Coalition aircraft. The Research and Development funding supports Sentinel modernization/upgrades, hardware/software issue resolution, resolution of obsolescence issues, engineering studies, and cost reduction initiatives. The funding for FY12 through FY16 development activities closes the following Sentinel system capability gaps identified by the User: 1] Range Detection gap and 2] Non-Cooperative Target Recognition gap. Battle Space Improvement addresses the Range Detection gap that currently exists with the Sentinel system. This development effort modifies the radar signal processor algorithms to reduce system processing losses. The modified algorithms will increase target acquisition and tracking range capability by a minimum of 12 percent against the threat set within the instrumented range band. This effort also develops modifications to the radar hardware by adding a common signal processing card to the radar signal processor to provide a common hardware and software processing configuration across the Sentinel radar fleet. Addresses the Non-Cooperative Target Recognition [NCTR] gap that currently exists with the Sentinel system.

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Document Details

Document Type
R2 Budgetary Justification
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2012
Source ID
0604820A_5_2040_PB_2012
Change Summary Explanation
Service Agency Name
Army

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Army

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • C4I
  • Sensors
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Air Defense
  • Aircrafts
  • Battlefields
  • Budgets
  • Control Systems
  • Cost Analysis
  • Cost Reductions
  • Detection
  • Elements
  • Fixed Wing Aircraft
  • Forward Areas
  • Radar Signals
  • Recognition
  • Target Recognition
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Readers

  • Missile Defense Systems.
  • Radar Systems Engineering.
  • Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

  • Autonomy
  • Autonomy - UAVs
  • Fully Networked C3
  • Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
  • Space
  • Space - Space Objects

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