aviation use of radar wp8b/8d radar seminar september 2005

Aviation Use of Radar

WP8B/8D Radar Seminar

September 2005

WP8B/8D Radar Seminar - Aviation

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Radar Types• Ground-based

• Surveillance• Long Range

• Terminal

• Others• Precision approach

• Surface detection

• Weather

• Airborne• Radar altimeter

• Weather


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Ground: Surveillance Radar (1 of 2)

• Long Range Radar ~ 130 sites in US• Band: 1240-1370 MHz, in ARNS (5.331, 5.334)• Sensitivity: 1-2 m2 target @ 200 to 250 nmi• Mission: Detection and tracking of aircraft at long

ranges for ATC use.• Secondary weather detection function• Backup for terminal radar (w/ increased separations)

• 12 second scan• Vertical polarization for tracking; circular for weather• Shared with Defense Department and Department of

Homeland Security


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Ground: Surveillance Radar (2 of 2)

• Terminal Radar ~ 300 sites in US• Terminal area coverage• 4.8 second scan• Normally sited at airports with traffic above a

certain level• Some are “mosaiced” allowing multiple radars

to form a single picture of the airspace• Integral part of “procedural” response to

navigation aid outages


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Ground: Others (1 of 2)• Precision Approach Radar (PAR)

• Band: 9.0-9.2 GHz

• Allows controller to direct precision approaches

• Primarily military use in the US; civil back-up

• Surface Detection• Band: 9.0-9.2 GHz (ASDE-X), 15.7-16.2 GHz (ASDE-3)

• ASDE-X for small/medium airports; currently 30 systems, however expected to increase

• ASDE-3 installed at 40 large airports

• 1 second scan


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Ground: Others (2 of 2)• Weather

• NEXRAD ~ 150 sites in US• Band: 2700-3000 MHz• 200 nmi coverage volume• Sited off-airport• Series of scans in increasing altitudes, 6 minute repeat period• Single frequency, circular polarization

• Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) ~ 45 in US• Band: 5600-5650 MHz• Detects wind shear and local weather phenomena• 45 nmi coverage• Located at major airports with history of severe thunderstorms• Single frequency, multiple waveforms, multiple scan options

depending on local conditions.


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Airborne Radar• Radar altimeter

• Band: 4200-4400 MHz in ARNS

• Integral part of precision landing systems

• Also integrated into terrain-warning sensors

• Weather Radars• Bands: 5350-5470 MHz, 8750-8850 MHz, 9.3-

9.5 GHz, 13.25-13.4 GHz

• Used for weather detection, windshear and turbulence detection and ground mapping


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Radar Hardware Characteristics• Ground-based Surveillance

• Two frequency, paired with fixed delta-f (limits assignable channels)• Diplexed for increased performance, or hot-standby (use alternate

frequency if interference detected)• Some use of chirped or compressed waveforms• Fan beams; newer versions with beam forming array to help provide

target altitude discrimination• Sector blanking not allowed on commissioned radar, 360 degree coverage

required

• Ground-based Other• PAR/ASDE-X implement 4 frequencies, however can meet performance

objectives with 2.• ASDE-3 has 16-frequency hopset, 2 assignable hopping patterns.

• Multipath and rain attenuation offer significant challenges.

• Weather radar is generally single frequency with multiple waveforms• Waveform selection tailored to prevailing weather patterns. • Sector scans can be implemented to focus attention on developing problem

areas.


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Airborne Radar Characteristics

• Radar Altimeters• Frequency Range 4200-4400 MHz

• Center Frequency 4300 +/- 25 MHz

• Transmit power: 20 mW to 500 mW

• Range: up to 1526 Meters

• Pulse width 200 ns

• Antenna Beamwidth 70 degrees


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Airborne Radar Characteristics

• Airborne Weather Radars• Band: 9300-9500 MHz

• Avoidance Range 340 nm

• Transmit Power to Antenna: 35 W – 12 kW

• Pulse Width (microseconds): 1 to 28.8

• Antenna Pattern type – pencil beam

• Antenna – flat plate and flat plate slotted array


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Radar Processing Characteristics• Radar design depends on operational

environment and performance goals. Some offer some form of screen clutter removal• Does not mitigate interference, simply keeps it

from showing on the controller’s screen• Ground clutter mapping: If certain range bins keep

getting reflections from a fixed target (e.g., a building), will notch-out those bins.

• Moving Target processing: Will not show targets moving slower than a set threshold rate


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Automatic Dependant Surveillance (ADS)• Aircraft periodically provides own-ship position

and intent information (broadcast or on a contract basis)

• Some question if ADS reduces need for radar• Issues:

• Requires all aircraft to be equipped• Reduces possibility of “procedural workarounds” for

navaid outages• Requires all aircraft to participate

• How address a 9/11-like situation?

• Bottom line: Many issues need to be addressed, studies continue.

aviation use of radar wp8b/8d radar seminar september 2005

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