Method and apparatus for monitoring the RF environment to prevent airborne radar false alarms that initiate evasive maneuvers, reactionary displays or actions
First Claim
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1. In a airborne warning radar system in which an airborne warning radar is located aboard an aircraft and has a scanning radar antenna, a system for ignoring signals from known RF emitters, comprising:
- a radar warning receiver that monitors the RF environment overflown by said aircraft for identifying an RF emitter, for detecting the direction of the source of the RF emitter and for causing the antenna for the airborne warning radar to look away from the specific detected direction, whereby false alarms may be reduced for said airborne warning radar.
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Abstract
Rather than costly modifications to existing radars, a small, low cost radar warning receiver is used to monitor the RF environment. This add-on receiver can provide situational awareness including RF signal levels and angle of arrival, and recommend or provide antenna scanning synchronization, blanking inputs or gated reactionary outputs to or for the airborne radar. Utilization of this information can be used to reduce false alarms and improve system performance.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. In a airborne warning radar system in which an airborne warning radar is located aboard an aircraft and has a scanning radar antenna, a system for ignoring signals from known RF emitters, comprising:
a radar warning receiver that monitors the RF environment overflown by said aircraft for identifying an RF emitter, for detecting the direction of the source of the RF emitter and for causing the antenna for the airborne warning radar to look away from the specific detected direction, whereby false alarms may be reduced for said airborne warning radar. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A system for lowering the false alarm rate of a primary radar, comprising:
a radar warning receiver operably coupled to said primary radar for detecting and identifying emissions from a non-hostile radar and for causing said primary radar to ignore emissions from a detected known RF emitter, said primary radar including a scanning directional antenna that sweeps out a surveilled area and wherein said radar warning receiver causes said directional antenna to look away from the specific direction of a detected known RF emitter. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A method for reducing the false alarm rate of a primary missile warning radar that scans a surveilled area and activates a countermeasure module upon detection of a predetermined target, comprising the steps of:
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coupling a radar warning receiver capable of detecting and identifying known RF emitters in the surveilled area to the primary radar; and
,causing the primary missile warning radar to ignore signals from detected and identified known RF emitters, the primary missile warning radar including a directional antenna that scans the surveilled area and wherein the step of ignoring signals from known RF emitters includes causing the directional antenna to look away from a specific detected and identified known RF emitter. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A low-cost, small-sized add-on to a primary airborne radar for the control thereof, comprising:
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a radar warning receiver having an antenna adapted to receive signals from emitters within the area surveilled by the primary airborne radar; and
,a module for inhibiting the primary missile warning radar based on known RF emitters detected and identified by said radar warning receiver, said primary airborne radar including a directional antenna that is made to sweep said surveilled area and wherein said radar warning receiver produces signals for causing said directional antenna to look away from the specific direction of an identified and detected known RF emitter. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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Specification