Search radar system

• US 5,311,187 A
• Filed: 04/26/1991
• Issued: 05/10/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thales Nederland BV (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Hollandse Signaalapparaten BV (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Garside, Peter F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US07/693,767
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 342/59, 342/57, 342/158, 342/52, 342/53, 342/54, 342/90, 342/96
• US Class Current: 342/59
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/872 Combinations of primary radar and secondary radar

Abstract

A search radar system, is provided which includes at least one search radar device (1) having a primary antenna (2) and at least one secondary radar device (3) having an SSR/IFF antenna (4). The radar devices (1, 3) independently supply plot data from which signals are derived that are each suitable for presentation on a radar display. The antennas (2, 4) are oriented in opposite directions so that the said signals are derived from individual plot data representing successive detections by the respective antennas of the same target which can be individually presented. Hence, the data rate of the radar system is doubled relative to a conventional radar system having a conventional secondary radar device and a conventional antenna system.

Claims

1. A search radar system including at least first and second radar devices coupled to respective first and second radar antennas, target data processing means for processing target data produced by said radar devices, and radar display means, characterized in that:

a. the antennas are arranged for rotation together but with mutually different orientations in azimuth;

b. each of the antennas is arranged to perform a two-dimensional scan with the same elevation angle,

c. the radar devices individually produce target data representative of successive detections by the respective antennas of indentical targets;

d. the target data processing means is adapted to correlate the target data for identical targets which is produced by the radar devices and comprises means for predicting from the target data of the first radar device the position of each target for a subsequent revolution of the first antenna as well as the position of each target at the moment when the at least one second antenna will detect said target, and to predict, from the target data of the at least one second radar device, the position of each target for subsequent revolutions of the at least one second antenna, said predictions being correlated with said detections to establish which target data obtained from the different radar devices originate from identical targets, and

e. the radar display means receives and displays the target data from the first and second radar devices so as to effectively double the rate at which target data is displayed for a given antenna rotation speed.

2. A search radar system as in claim 1, where the target data processing means is adapted to correct the target data produced by the radar devices for the different orientations in azimuth of the respective antennas coupled to said radar devices, and

the display means displays the corrected target data.

3. A search radar system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, where the first and second radar antennas are oriented in mutually opposite directions and are mounted so that each antenna covers the same elevation area.

4. A search radar system as in claim 1 or 2 comprising two primary radar devices coupled to respective primary radar antennas oriented in mutually opposite directions and two secondary radar devices coupled to respective secondary radar antennas oriented in mutually opposite directions, the directions in which said primary antennas are oriented being orthogonal to the directions in which said secondary antennas are oriented.

5. A search radar system as in claim 1 or 2 comprising one primary radar device coupled to a respective primary radar antenna and three secondary radar devices coupled to respective secondary radar antennas, said antennas being oriented in four respective azimuths which are angularly separated by ninety degrees.

6. A search radar system comprising;

at least a primary and a secondary radar device coupled to a respective primary and a secondary radar antenna, target data processing means coupled to said radar devices for processing target data produced by said radar devices, and radar display means responsive to the target data processing means, characterized in that;

a. the antennas are arranged for rotation together but with mutually opposite orientations in azimuth;

b. the antennas are arranged so that each performs a conventional two-dimensional scan with substantially the same elevation angle;

c. the radar devices individually produce data representative of successive detection by the respective antennas of identical targets;

d. the target data processing means is adapted to correct the target data produced by the radar devices for the different orientations in azimuth of the respective antennas coupled to said radar devices; and

e. the radar display means individually display the individually produced corrected data so as to effectively double the display update rate.

7. A search radar system as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a target track data processor for processing the individually produced corrected data to target tracks, and wherein the target track data processor is adapted to correlate the corrected data for identical targets produced by the radar devices and comprises means for predicting from the target data of one of the radar devices the position of each target for a subsequent revolution of the corresponding antenna as well as the position of each target at the moment when the other antenna will detect said target, and to predict, from the target data of the other radar device, the position of each target for subsequent revolutions of the corresponding antenna, such as to effectively double the track process update rate.

8. A search radar system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the secondary radar device supplies target data to the target data processing means which is independent of the target data supplied to the target data processing means by the primary radar device.