Near-field Scanner and Projects for Advanced Digital Radar
Abstract
Near-field Scanner and Projects for Advanced Digital RadarThe United States Navy faces a number of significant obstacles in the near future, and the goal of this proposal is to develop accurate radar solutions for target detection, imaging and communication made possible by a near-field scanner, advanced array calibration techniques, tunable filter designs, combined filter plus antenna designs (filtenna), support multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) experiments, and array resource management. The fine-scale granularity of a near-field antenna scanner is needed to support R&D, prototyping and testing of these advanced digital radar concepts. A scanner and anechoic chamber are imperative to characterize, calibrate, and optimize such radars before their deployment to the user. Key challenges include: (1) synthesizing precision beam patterns from 1000s of discrete array elements; (2) calibrating and controlling multiple arrays for cooperative radar modes; and (3) multi-function, agile radar operation in crowded spectral environments.Navy Payoff:- While deployed: array optimization that facilitates multi-mode operation (e.g., radar, imaging, etc.) and reduced detection times for Naval radar systems.- High fidelity outdoor experimeions.- Spectrum sharing and dominance for radar and communication.- Improved interference protection for all digital phased arrays.Key Demos / Transitions:- Improved Real-Time Calibration: Research and implement real-time array optimization algorithms, especially based on array mutual coupling, made possible by a digital-at-every-element array for the first time.- Digital Array Performance Research: scan strategies, high-efficiency waveform design, high power filtenna arrays, and tunable integrated filters.- Array rnments.- Integration with Existing System (FlexDAR): Two approaches will be explored. The FlexDAR software will be installed on the teams digital array or FlexDAR-like software commands will be leveraged by the ARRC for joint experiments to demonstrate distributed aperture utility. The team has significant experience with small near-field chamber measurements, and in the absence of such a chamber for a large array, we have vast experience in methods for outdoor measurements. However, we dont have a large near-field chamber for characterizing and understanding the behavior of a large phased array such as Horus the need for a NF scanner is now great, especially to take full advantage of digital control at every element for exquisite beamforming and cross-polarimetric purity. OU has recently begun work under an existing ONR grant to use Horus as an adaptive digital beamforming research platform, and also as the eventual backend for the current foci of this effort, such as the development of a filtenna array. Much of the current spectrum sharing work is based almost entirely on higher-level (e.g. software- or policy-based) techniques. Just as important, however, are efforts to understand and account for realistic hardware behavior and to develop new antenna-, transmitter-, and filter-based techniques that radically change what is possible in future systems through better control of both spectral and spatial (directive) emissions. Spectrum sharing (or dominance) is in fact a major driving force behind many upcoming developments in phased array technology, posing unique calibration-related measurement challenges, as well as technical risks for new science missions. The proposal discusses our technical approach to address these issues. It begins with a discussion of a nearfield anechoic chamber, followed by the all-digital Horus radar, and supporting concepts.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Oct 19, 2020
- Source ID
- N000142012851
Entities
People
- Mark Yeary
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Oklahoma