Radar Development

Abstract

This system is a supporting program 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 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 (IAMD) architecture via the IAMD Battle Command System (IBCS) to provide critical air surveillance of the forward areas. The Sentinel currently consists of two primary variants: the AN/MPQ-64A1 system mounted on a High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), and an enhanced radar variant, the AN/MPQ-64A3 mounted on a 2.5 ton trailer and towed by an armored Family of Medium Tactical Vehicle (FMTV) platform. Sentinel also consists of 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 (C-RAM) missions. The sensor is an advanced three-dimensional battlefield X-Band air defense phased-array radar with an instrumented range of 75 kilometers. 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. Sentinel contributes to the digital battlefield by automatically detecting, classifying, identifying and reporting targets (cruise missiles, unmanned aerial systems, rotary wing and fixed wing aircraft). Sentinel acquires targets sufficiently forward of the battle area to allow weapons reaction time and engagement at optimum ranges. 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 Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 through FY 2021 development activities addresses the following Sentinel system capability gaps and obsolescence issues identified by the User: 1) Target Detection gap; 2) Target Tracking gap; 3) Net Readiness gap; 4) Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) gap; 5) Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Defense gap; and 5) Rockets, Artillery & Mortars (RAM) gap. Battle Space Improvement addresses the Target Detection gap that currently exists with the Sentinel system. This development effort modifies the radar signal processor algorithms and will increase target acquisition and tracking range capability against the threat set within the instrumented range band. This effort also develops modifications to the radar hardware by utilizing an upgraded common signal processing card to the radar signal processor to provide a common hardware and software processing configuration across the Sentinel radar fleet. Stop, Stare and Track addresses the Target Tracking Gap. This development effort provides direct Fire Control Radar (FCR) support in an integrated air and missile defense architecture. In addition this provides significantly improved Non-Cooperative Target Recognition (NCTR) timeline and performance against all targets to include UAS, Cruise Missiles, Rotary Wing and Fixed Wing aircraft. This upgrade also enables rapid classification of cued Rockets, Artillery and Mortars (RAM), UAS, Rotary Wing and Fixed Wing aircraft, as well as very accurate Point of Origin (POO) and Point of Impact (POI) of RAM targets and enables a robust kill assessment capability of engaged targets. Cross Domain Solution (CDS) Network Interface addresses net readiness and system security concerns. This effort develops a CDS interface to isolate the Sentinel radar from connected networks of lower classification levels. Allows for ongoing cyber security initiatives to be reviewed and addressed as they arise. Ensures that Information Assurance/Cyber security is part of Sentinel operations, missions and functions. Makes certain that practices necessary to ensure the protection of information and personnel are instituted. Electronic Attack/Electronic Protect (EA/EP) addresses the electronic countermeasures (ECM) gap. This effort conducts additional design and testing to verify initial EA/EP results and updates the database and associated software and hardware with more extensive EA/EP signatures to address evolving threats. Signal Data Processor (SDP)/North Finding Module (NFM) addresses the Target Detection, Target Tracking, and Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) capability gaps and funds the mitigation of the SDP and NFM obsolescence issues. SDP cards are estimated to go obsolete every four to six years. Medium Bandwidth Waveform upgrade will address latent tracking issues that currently exist with Sentinel in certain applications. This development effort modifies firmware as well as software in the Sentinel radar. This effort will provide better target resolution and more accurate tracking in the slant range coordinate. This improved target resolution and tracking accuracy will provide improved retention of target identification and more robust tracking that addresses the latent tracking issues. Mode S upgrade to existing Sentinel Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) will address Sentinel's objective requirement to interrogate IFF mode S which is currently not being met. Mode S transmissions are a key component of the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) surveillance technology being used by the Federal Aviation Administration for tracking aircraft as part of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). In the United States, all aircraft required to have transponders (most aircraft) must transition to mode S capable units by 2020. Without the Mode S upgrade, Sentinel will have to rely on these aircraft transponders responding to the legacy mode 3/A interrogations. The data available in the mode S response will be valuable in identifying the aircraft and correlating Sentinel tracks with civil aviation tracks/data and other track data sources. The Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) is the next generation of radar technology to replace the current phase and frequency scanned array used by Sentinel today. The AESA Antenna will provide increased capability including extended range for ground-based surveillance and situational awareness, faster and more accurate Non-Cooperative Target Recognition (NCTR) for clearing fires and preventing fratricide, improved Fire Control (FC) quality track accuracy, and management of larger track loads. The AESA will also provide improved operation in severe/urban clutter. The system will detect and track small targets, such as Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Cruise Missiles, in clutter and will detect and track slow targets, such as UAS and Rotary Wing (RW) aircraft, at low altitudes in clutter. The system will detect, track, and classify Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (RAM) threats and will support Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) requirements and can contribute sensor support for mitigating current and future Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 mission requirements.

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Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
Publication Date: Oct 01, 2017
Source ID: 0604820A_5_2040_PB_2017
Change Summary Explanation: Funding adjustment from within Sentinel Program to allow for analysis and development of the follow on sensor technology to commence in FY17.
Service Agency Name: Army

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United States Army

Radar Development

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