Mobile radar system

• US 8,451,165 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2010
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Puzella, Angelo M., Cummings, Steven T., Licciardello, Joseph A., Pozgay, Jerome H., Pereira, Stephen J., Sarcione, Michael G., Morico, Peter D., Roche, James A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith, Jack W
• Assistant Examiner(s): BYTHROW, PETER M
• Application Number:
  US12/960,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20120139786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 342 13- 20, 342 70- 72, 342/175, 343705-717
• US Class Current: 342/70
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/723 by using numerical data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/0245 Radar with phased array antenna
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/032 Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/406 using internally generated reference signals, e.g. via delay line, via RF or IF signal injection or via integrated reference reflector or transponder
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1235 Collapsible supports; Means for erecting a rigid antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/3216 where the road or rail vehicle is only used as transportation means
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/46 Active lenses or reflecting arrays

Abstract

Described is a mobile radar system which provides both persistent surveillance and tracking of objects with adaptive measurement rates for both maneuvering and non-maneuvering objects. The mobile radar system includes a vehicle having mounted therein an active, electronically-steerable, phased array radar system movable between a stowed position and a deployed position and wherein the phased array radar system is operational in both the deployed and stored positions and also while the vehicle is either stationary or moving. Thus, the mobile radar system described herein provides for longer time on target and longer integration times, increased radar sensitivity and improved Doppler resolution and clutter rejection. This results in a highly mobile radar system appropriate for use in a battlefield environment and which supports single-integrated-air-picture metrics including but not limited to track purity, track completeness, and track continuity and thus improved radar performance in a battlefield.

Claims

1. A mobile radar system comprising:

a vehicle; and

a phased array radar system disposed on a portion of said vehicle, said phased array radar system movable between a stowed position and a deployed position and wherein said phased array radar system is configured to be operational when in the stowed position and when in the deployed position and while said vehicle is moving wherein said phased array radar system comprises an active, electronically-steerable, phased array (AESA) antenna and wherein said AESA antenna is provided having four faces arranged to provide substantially continuous 360°

scan coverage when said AESA antenna is in the deployed position; and

said AESA antenna is provided having four faces arranged to provide substantially continuous 270°

scan coverage when said phased array radar system is in the stowed position.

3. The mobile radar system of claim 1 wherein said phased array radar system uses different sub-apertures on different ones of said plurality of faces such that said phased array radar system can transmit a radio frequency (RF) signal using a first sub-aperture on a first one of said plurality of faces and can receive an RF signal using a second sub-aperture on a second different one of said plurality of faces.

4. The mobile radar system of claim 1 wherein said phased array radar system comprises:

a movable antenna platform having a first end configured to be mounted on said vehicle and having a second end, said antenna platform movable between the stowed position and the deployed position; and

said AESA antenna is coupled to the second end of said movable antenna platform, wherein said AESA antenna is operable while said movable antenna platform is positioned in either the stowed position or the deployed position.

5. The mobile radar system of claim 4 wherein the vehicle is provided as a ground based vehicle.

6. The mobile radar system of claim 5 wherein:

said AESA antenna is provided as a self-contained, solid state AESA antenna having a plurality of faces;

while said vehicle is moving, said AESA antenna is operable in at least two different modes of operation with a first mode of operation corresponding to a scan mode of operation and a second mode of operation corresponding to a tracking mode of operation; and

while said vehicle is at stationary, said AESA antenna is operable in at least two different modes of operation with a first mode of operation corresponding to a scan mode of operation and a second mode of operation corresponding to a tracking mode of operation.

7. The mobile radar system of claim 6 wherein each face of said AESA antenna is provided from a plurality of panel array antenna with each of said plurality of panel array antenna being removably connected to said phased array radar system such that an individual one of said plurality of panel array antennas panel can be removed and replaced without making or breaking power and signal cables to other ones of said plurality of panel array antennas.

8. The mobile radar system of claim 7 wherein said AESA antenna can substantially simultaneously operate sub-apertures on each of said plurality of faces in a transmit mode.

9. The mobile radar system of claim 7 wherein said AESA antenna can simultaneously operate sub-apertures on each of said plurality of faces in a receive mode.

10. The mobile radar system of claim 7 wherein the phased array radar system receives power from a prime power source provided as part of said vehicle.

11. The mobile radar system of claim 7 further comprising a primary power source shared among the plurality of faces of said AESA antenna.

12. The mobile radar system of claim 11 wherein said power source is provided as an independent power source.

13. The mobile radar system of claim 4 wherein said movable antenna platform comprises a scissors-jack structure.

14. The mobile radar system of claim 4 wherein said array antenna is rotatably-mounted to said movable platform and wherein said movable platform raises said AESA antenna to a deployed position such that each face of said AESA antenna is above a top-most surface of said vehicle such that said AESA antenna is able to electronically scan antenna beams substantially unobstructed by any portion of said vehicle.

15. The mobile radar system of claim 4 wherein said movable antenna platform is provided as a telescoping antenna platform.

16. The mobile radar system of claim 4 wherein when said movable antenna platform is in the stowed position, said AESA antenna is operable to provide substantially 270 degrees of scan coverage and when said movable antenna platform is in the deployed position, said AESA antenna is operable to provide substantially 360 degrees of scan coverage.

26. The mobile radar system of claim 15 wherein said power source is provided as an independent power source.

2. A mobile radar system comprising:

a vehicle; and

a phased array radar system disposed on a portion of said vehicle, said phased array radar system movable between a stowed position and a deployed position and wherein said phased array radar system is configured to be operational when in the stowed position and when in the deployed position and while said vehicle is moving wherein said phased array radar system comprises an active, electronically-steerable, phased array (AESA) antenna and wherein said AESA antenna has four independently controlled faces and wherein when said AESA antenna is in the stowed position three antenna faces are active and when said AESA antenna is in its deployed position four antenna faces are active.

17. The mobile radar system of claim 2 wherein said phased array radar system uses different sub-apertures on different ones of said plurality of faces such that said phased array radar system can transmit a radio frequency (RF) signal using a first sub-aperture on a first one of said plurality of faces and can receive an RF signal using a second sub-aperture on a second different one of said plurality of faces.

18. The mobile radar system of claim 2 wherein said phased array radar system comprises:

a movable antenna platform having a first end configured to be mounted on said vehicle and having a second end, said antenna platform movable between the stowed position and the deployed position; and

said AESA antenna is coupled to the second end of said movable antenna platform, wherein said AESA antenna is operable while said movable antenna platform is positioned in either the stowed position or the deployed position.

19. The mobile radar system of claim 18 wherein the vehicle is provided as a ground based vehicle.

20. The mobile radar system of claim 19 wherein:

said AESA antenna is provided as a self-contained, solid state AESA antenna having a plurality of faces;

while said vehicle is moving, said AESA antenna is operable in at least two different modes of operation with a first mode of operation corresponding to a scan mode of operation and a second mode of operation corresponding to a tracking mode of operation; and

while said vehicle is at stationary, said AESA antenna is operable in at least two different modes of operation with a first mode of operation corresponding to a scan mode of operation and a second mode of operation corresponding to a tracking mode of operation.

21. The mobile radar system of claim 20 wherein each face of said AESA antenna is provided from a plurality of panel array antenna with each of said plurality of panel array antenna being removably connected to said phased array radar system such that an individual one of said plurality of panel array antennas panel can be removed and replaced without making or breaking power and signal cables to other ones of said plurality of panel array antennas.

22. The mobile radar system of claim 21 wherein said AESA antenna can substantially simultaneously operate sub-apertures on each of said plurality of faces in a transmit mode.

23. The mobile radar system of claim 21 wherein said AESA antenna can simultaneously operate sub-apertures on each of said plurality of faces in a receive mode.

24. The mobile radar system of claim 21 wherein the phased array radar system receives power from a prime power source provided as part of said vehicle.

25. The mobile radar system of claim 21 further comprising a primary power source shared among the plurality of faces of said AESA antenna.

27. The mobile radar system of claim 18 wherein said movable antenna platform comprises a scissors jack structure.

28. The mobile radar system of claim 18 wherein said array antenna is rotatably-mounted to said movable platform and wherein said movable platform raises said AESA antenna to a deployed position such that each face of said AESA antenna is above a top-most surface of said vehicle such that said AESA antenna is able to electronically scan antenna beams substantially unobstructed by any portion of said vehicle.

29. The mobile radar system of claim 18 wherein said movable antenna platform is provided as a telescoping antenna platform.

30. The mobile radar system of claim 18 wherein when said movable antenna platform is in the stowed position, said AESA antenna is operable to provide substantially 270 degrees of scan coverage and when said movable antenna platform is in the deployed position, said AESA antenna is operable to provide substantially 360 degrees of scan coverage.