All-Digital Polarimetric Phased Array Radar Mobile Testbed
Abstract
All-Digital Polarimetric Phased Array Radar Mobile TestbedThe University of OklahomaAdvanced Radar Research CenterThis proposal provides: (1) a brief discussion of all-digital architectures, (2) a discussion of the development of an all-digital, mobile S-band demonstrator, (3) a specific deliverable version of a 2x2 Horus mobile demonstrator, and (4) a summary. The overarching goal is for the University of Oklahoma???s Advanced Radar Research Center (ARRC) to provide the Navy with a flexible, mobile demonstrator that can be used to demonstrate a variety of radar modes within the S-band (3.1 ??? 3.5 GHz). One example of the confluence of the ARRC???s innovative hardware, digital signal processing, and software is seen in the ARRC???s Horus project (in collaboration with NOAA???s National Severe Storms Lab), which has the original goal of creating an S-band (2.7-3.1 GHz), all-digital, polarimetric phased array radar. After modifications to take the system to 3.1-3.5 GHz, this system???s flexibility will also provide numerous new modes to support a variety of the Navy???s needs. Horus is unique because it allows fully-polarimetric TX and RX at every channel to support these primary functions: radar, communications, real-time calibration, etc. Moreover, the radar???s reconfigurable aperture can be digitally subdivided to support two or more of these functions simultaneously. In brief, a truck-mounted radar system is the major deliverable of this project. Based on the budget, the project will provide 4 line replaceable units (LRUs) within the mobile system. It is noted that each LRU houses eight Octoblades. The Octoblades are where virtually all of the radar electronics reside. Each OctoBlade, which drives an eight-element column of the LRU???s high-performance antenna array with nearly ideal polarization along the principal planes through careful design, consists of a metal cooling plate with PCBs on each side to house a total of 16 GaN-based frontends (> 10W per element, per polarization), eight dual-channel digital transceivers from Analog Devices, four front-end FPGAs for processing, and two FPGAs for control. The mobile system???s full antenna array will be capable of supporting 21 additional LRUs, as expansion needs arise in the future. The proposal accounts for mechanical design, mechanical assembly, thermal designs, data processing/control, a chiller system, truck w/ factory integrated generator, array positioner, enclosure, truck modifications, etc. We understand that the United States Navy faces a bounty of significant obstacles in the near term. Uncertain littoral environments, congested and contested spectrum, asymmetric engagements, etc., to name a few. Horus is a system that is software definable and conveniently reconfigurable to help address these needs. By exploiting the architecture of sub-arrayed antennas (where groups of radiating elements share the same digital receiver) AESA radars can provide simultaneous digital beamforming and adaptive cancellation of interference.Approved for Public Release.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Oct 17, 2018
- Source ID
- N000141812896
Entities
People
- Mark Yeary
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Oklahoma