Radar System Design 

Example
 Discuss factors that affect radar performance.

1 Si
1. Signall reception
ti
2. Signal-to-noise ratio 9. Beam width
3. Receiver bandwidth 10. Pulse repetition
4. Receiver sensitivity frequency
5. Pulse shape 11. Carrier frequency
6. Pulse
6 u se cocompression
p ess o 12. Antenna gain (directivity
7. Power relation and power)
8. Scan rate 13. Antenna aperture
a Mechanical
a. 14. Radar cross section of
b. Electronic target

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Radar System Design Tradeoffs
Choice of frequency affects:
Choice of frequency affects:
•Size: high frequencies have smaller devices.
• transmit power: generally favors lower frequencies
/ ll h h f h hf
•antenna gain/HPWB :small high gain favors high frequencies
•atmospheric attenuation: smaller loss a low frequencies
•ambient noise: lowest in 1‐10 GHz range g
•Doppler shift: greater at high frequencies
•Polarization affects:
l d d fl i
•clutter and ground reflections
•RCS of the targets of interest
p y
•antenna deployment limitations
•Waveform selection affects:
•signal bandwidth: (determined by pulse width)
PRF ( h bi
•PRF :(sets the unambiguous range))
•average transmitter power :(determines maximum detection range)
 Radar
ada System
Syste Design
es g Example
a pe

• There are many parameters in a radar

• Pfa , B, Tfa, (S/N)T , Gint , ΔR, R,
G λ
• Pt , G, λ, σ,σ Rmax , Losses,
Losses Smin
• k, Ts , Bn , antenna beamwidths
• Of 17 parameters above,
above only Boltzmann
Boltzmann’ss
constant is fixed
• We cannot set 16 parameters at start of design

2
 Radar
ada System
Syste Design
es g Example
a pe

• Design is an iterative process

• Begins with a specification
• Step 1.
1 Start with a few parameters
• Calculate related quantities
• Step 2.
2 Estimate radar performance
• Does performance meet specification?
• Step 3.
3 Repeat design

3
 Radar
ada Design
es g Example
a pe

• Radar is X-band
X band pulse radar for use on a boat
• General requirements:
• Antenna must be small enough to fit on boat
• Pulse power should be as low as possible
• See large ships long way off
• Small boats close in
• This Example takes 34 slides

4
 How to Proceed

• Stop: Read specification

• Stop: Decide what is important
• Stop: Draw a block diagram of the radar
• Stop: Decide where to start
• Do not begin by writing down the Radar Equation
• Make a trial design, then adjust parameters

5
 Radar Design Example

• Specification of radar for small sea going vessel

• X – band: 9.6 GHz
• Pt = 10 kW
• Range resolution = 15 m
• Max range 40 km for 10 m2 RCS target
• PPI synthesized display
• Pd = 0.8,
0 8 Tfa = 1 hour

6
 Broad
vertical
beam

Narrow
horizontal
beam
Antenna beam requirements

7
 Radar
ada Design
es g Example
a pe

• Step 1. Find (S/N)T

• Calculate Probability of False Alarm Pfa
• Pfa
f = 1 / (B x Tfa
f )
• For ΔR = 15 m, τ = 1 μs x 15 / 150 = 0.1 μs
• Use B = 1.41 4 / τ = 14 MHz
• Pfa = 1 / (1.4 x 106 x 3600) ~ 2 x 10-11
• Use Figure 2.6
2 6 to find threshold (S/N)T

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 Figure 2.6
S/N at Threshold Illustration only
Pd
0.999
Pfa = 10-6

0 99
0.99
Pfa = 10-11

0.90
0.80

0.50 S/N
10 dB 12 dB 14 dB 16 dB

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 Radar
ada Design
es g Example
a pe

• Use Figure 2.6 to find threshold (S/N)T

• Pfa = 2 x 10-11 Pd = 0.8
• Figure 2.6
2 6 shows (S/N)T ~ 15.0
15 0 dB
• Assume constant RCS target
• Step 2.
2
• Integration gain - How many pulses/target?
• Set N = 20,20 Gint ~ 11 dB

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 Radar Design Example

• Step 3.
3 Find antenna gain
• Use Radar Equation
• Smin = Pt + 2 G + 2 λ + σ + Gint - 33
- 4 Rmax - losses
• What is Smin
i ?
• Smin = k Ts Bn in dBW + (S/N)T
• Assume Ts = 1000 K
• N = -228.6 + 30 + 71.4 = -127.1 dBW

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 Radar
ada Design
es g Example
a pe

• N = -127.1
127.1 dBW (S/N)T = 15 dB
• Smin = -127.1 + 15.0 = -112.1 dBW
• Radar Equation
• λ = 0.03125 m = -15.1 dBmeter
• Smin = Pt + 2 G + 2 λ + σ + Gint - 33
- 4 Rmax - losses
• -112.1 30 2 + σ + 11 - 33
-112 1 = 40 + 2 G – 30.2
- 4 Rmax – losses

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 Radar Design Example

• Estimate losses:
• RF - two way loss 4 dB
• Beam shape loss 2 dB
• Filter mismatch loss 1 dB
• Atmospheric loss ?
• Radome loss ?
• Total 7 dB

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 Radar Design Example

• Radar Equation
• σ = 10 m2 = 10 dBmeter2
• Losses = 7.0 dB
• -112.1 = 40 + 2 G – 30.2 + 10 + 11 - 33
- 4 Rmax – 7.0
• Solve for G with Rmax = 40 km = 46 dBm
• 2 G = -112.1 - 40 + 30.2 - 21+ 33 + 184 + 7
• G = 40.6
06ddB
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 Radar Design Example

• We need an antenna with gain of 40.6 dB to

meet specified performance
• Set vertical beamwidth = 15o
• horizontal beamwidth = 1o
• G = 33,000 / (15 x 1) = 2200 = 33.4 dB
• Find dimensions of antenna
• θ 3 dB ~ 75 λ / D degrees

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 Radar Design Example

• θ 3 dB ~ 75 λ / D degrees
• DH = 75 λ / 1 = 75 x 0.03125 m = 2.34 m
• DH = 7.7 feet - may be too large
• Set horizontal
o o ta beabeamwidth
dt = 1.55o
• DH = 1.56 m = 5.1 ft, G = 31.6 dB
• Dimension in vertical plane is
• DV = 75 λ / 15 = 5 x 0.03125 m = 0.16 m
• DV = 6 inches
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 Stotted waveguide
antenna
Length = 75 λ

Flare
Aperture
height
= 5λ
Power in
Beamwidths: 1o Hor x 15o Vert
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Radome

Antenna

Rotating joint

Tx T/R cell Rx

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 Radar Design Example

• Review design of X band radar:

• Antenna:
• D = 1.56 m = 5.1 ft, G = 31.6 dB
• Wee wanted
a ted G = 40.6
06d dB to meet
eet range
a ge a
and
d
target RCS requirements
p
• We must compromise!
• We need to find 18 dB in radar equation

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 Radar Design Example

• Check antenna rotation rate first

• We set 3 dB beamwidth = 1.5o ((Hor p plane))
• We need 20 hits/target
• Must decide on prf
p
• Max range is 40 km, set Run = 100 km
• Prf = 1500 Hz, Hz Pri = 0.667
0 667 ms
• 20 pulses = 13.33 ms
1 5 o in 13.33
• Rotation rate = 1.5 13 33 ms = 18.8
18 8 rpm
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 Radar Design Example

• Review Radar Equation:

• Smin = Pt + 2 G + 2 λ + σ + Gint - 33
- 4 Rmax – losses
• What can we change?
• Smin is set by Noise Power and (S/N)T
• Wavelength
g and losses are fixed
• We want G = 31.6 dB, set by dimensions
a ab e Pt , σ, Rmax , Gint
• Available:
21
 Antenna Rotation Rate

• Slow antenna rotation rate to 12 rpm

• Screen updates every 5 seconds – may want
aste updates
faster
• Hits/target = 18.8 / 12 x 20 = 31
• Ginti t = 10 log 31 – 2.1
2 1 = 14.9
14 9 dB
• We can increase integration gain by 3.8 dB
• Ignore for the moment – keep 18.818 8 rpm

22
 Trade-off Study
• Available from Radar Equation: Pt , σ,
σ Rmax
• We need to find 18 dB
• Increase Pt by 7 dB to 50 kW
• We are still 11 dB below original specification
• Examine minimum detectable target vs range
• We must detect target at 40 km range
(21 6 n miles)
(21.6

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 Trade-off Study
• At 40 km range
range, target RCS is > 10 m
• Then RCS = 10 dBm2 + 11 dB = 21 dBm2
• Tabulate RCS of target vs range
• Range km 40 10 3 1
• Target dBm2 21 - 3 - 24 - 43
• Target m2 126 0.5 0.004 0.5 cm2
• Target at 40 km range is over horizon

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 Trade-off Study
• At 40 km range, target RCS is > 10 m
• Then RCS = 10 dBm2 + 11 dB = 21 dBm2
• Tabulate RCS of target vs range
• Range km 40 10 3 1
• Target dBm2 21 - 3 - 24 - 43
• Target m2 126 0.5 0.004 0.5 cm2
• Target at 40 km range is over horizon

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 Trade-off Study

• Radar sensitivity - range in nautical miles

• Range
g nm 21.6 5.4 1.62 0.54
• Target m2 126 0.5 0.004 0.5 cm2
• What
at iss RCS
CS of
o a typical
typ ca target?
ta get
• Large ship: 10,000 m2
• Small ship: 100 m2
• Open boat: 0.2 m2 to 1.0 m2
• We can see open boat at 5 nm
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 Revised Design

• Recalculate Noise power and Smin

• N = -137.1 dBW
• (S/N)T = 15 dB
• Smin = -137.1 + 15.0 = -122.1 dBW
• We can trade pulse width for Tx power

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 Revised Design

• Alternative strategy:
• Reduce Tx p power byy 10 dB to 5 kW
• Lowers cost of transmitter and PSU
• Short range
g pperformance will suffer when
τ = 0.1 μs
g , range
• Tabulate range, g resolution,, target
g RCS
• (Scale RCS of target in proportion to new
parameters)
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 Revised Design

• Alternative strategy:
• Reduce Tx p power byy 10 dB to 5 kW
• Lowers cost of transmitter and PSU
• S
Short
o t range
a ge performance
pe o a ce will suffer
su e when e
τ = 0.1 μs
g , range
• Tabulate range, g resolution,, target
g RCS
• (Scale RCS of target in proportion to new
parameters)
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 Revised Design

• 5 kW transmitter with 1 / 0.1 μs pulse length

• Rangeg Pulse width Resolution RCS min
• nm μs m m2
• 21.66 1.0
0 150
50 1266
• 10 1.0 150 5.8
• 5 01
0.1 15 37
3.7
• 3 0.1 15 0.5
• 1 01
0.1 15 0 006
0.006
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 Alternative option
p

• Antenna will be most costly part of this radar

• Horizontal beamwidth = 1.5o
• D = 1.56 m = 5.1 ft, G = 31.6 dB
• We could offer low cost option with smaller
antenna
• Horizontal beamwidth = 3 o
• D = 0.78 m ~ 2.5 ft, G = 26.6 dB
• In Radar equation: Const x G2 / R4

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 Economy Version

• Economy version with 2.5 ft antenna

• Range
g Pulse width Resolution RCS min
• nm μs m m2
• 200 1.0
0 150
50 500
• 10 1.0 150 46
• 5 01
0.1 15 30
• 3 0.1 15 4
• 1 01
0.1 15 05
0.5
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 Economy Marine Radar

• 2.5 ft antenna,, 5 kW transmitter

• Performance is marginal on open boat at 1
nm
• Increase rotation rate to 18.8 rpm to get more
hits per target and extra 3.8 dB integration gain
• Smin = Pt + 2 G + 2 λ + σ + Gint - 33
- 4 Rmax – losses
• Gint trades directly for RCS

33
 Economy Marine Radar

• 2.5 ft antenna,, 5 kW transmitter

• Performance is marginal on open boat at 1
nm
• Increase rotation rate to 18.8 rpm to get more
hits per target and extra 3.8 dB integration gain
• Smin = Pt + 2 G + 2 λ + σ + Gint - 33
- 4 Rmax – losses
• Gint trades directly for RCS

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 Economy Marine Radar

• Economy version with 2.5 ft antenna, 19 rpm

• Range
g Pulse width Resolution RCS min
• nm μs m m2
• 200 1.0
0 150
50 2100
• 10 1.0 150 20
• 5 01
0.1 15 12
• 3 0.1 15 1.6
• 1 01
0.1 15 02
0.2
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 Economy version

• We can now detect open boat (in calm sea) at

range 1 nm with X-band radar
• Sc
Screen
ee update rate
ate iss 5 seco
seconds
ds
• Transmit power 5 kW (pulse)
• Prf: 1500 Hz
• Antenna: 3 degree horizontal beam
• 15 degree vertical beam
• Range resolution 150 m / 15 m for >/< 10 nm

36
 Other
Ot e Issues
ssues

• Losses: Did we include them all?

• Atmospheric loss – about 1 dB in clear air
• Rain - attenuation > 20 dB one way
• Radome or antenna cover - salt spray
• Target RCS fluctuation
• Clutter: Backscatter from sea surface
• Can mask small target

37
 Summary
Su ayo of Radar
ada Design
es g

• We have designed two versions of Marine Radar

• Neither meets the original specification
• Specification led to unacceptable antenna size
• Two versions satisfy objectives of specification
• Required three iterations

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