Examination of the effect of array weighting function on radar target detectability

Abstract

This paper describes a methodology to assess the detectability of targets by anairborne fire control radar operating in a medium PRF mode in the presence of strongground clutter as a function of the transmitting and receiving antenna array weightingfunctions and proportion of failed array elements. It describes the radar, antenna andclutter modelling processes and the method by which target detectability is quantified.The detectability of targets in clutter is described using a detectability map, whichprovides a useful means of comparing target detectability as clutter conditions change.It concludes that the best target detectability is to be achieved using those weightingfunctions on transmit and receive which result in the lowest average sidelobe levelsbut that the margins between the more highly tapered weighting functions were small.Furthermore, it concludes that target detectability degrades as the proportion of failedelements increases. A failure of 5% of the elements gave modest, though meaningful,degradations in target detectability and would therefore form a suitable upper limit.