Cooperative Radar Sensor System for Hypersonic Target Interception
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional radar systems fail to provide adequate target detection performance and tracking accuracy, especially for hypersonic threats in time-critical scenarios and electromagnetic cluster environments.
Innovation Solution
A cooperative radar sensor system comprising at least one illumination air vehicle and one missile, where both entities have radar sensors that perform bistatic or multi-static measurements to determine a collision point, allowing the missile to guide towards this point instead of the target, thereby improving detection and tracking accuracy and minimizing detection risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional radar systems are used for target detection and tracking, then the system structure is simple, but the target detection performance and tracking accuracy are insufficient for hypersonic threats
Solution Approach 1:
The radar system is segmented into multiple independent radar sensors distributed across different platforms (air vehicles and missiles). Each sensor performs bistatic or multi-static measurements, and the system divides the detection task among multiple nodes rather than relying on a single centralized radar, thereby improving detection performance while maintaining modular simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple radar sensors from different platforms are merged into a cooperative sensor system that shares measurement data and coordinates their observations. The air vehicles and missiles combine their radar capabilities to achieve superior target detection and tracking accuracy that exceeds what any single radar could provide
2Loss of time
If the missile is guided directly to the target, then the guidance system is simple, but the time and distance to intercept hypersonic targets is excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by calculating and guiding the missile to a predicted collision point rather than directly to the current target position. The guidance system anticipates the target's future position based on its hypersonic velocity and trajectory, allowing the missile to intercept at the optimal collision point and significantly reducing intercept time
Solution Approach 2:
The guidance system continuously receives feedback from radar measurements of target position, velocity, and trajectory. This feedback is used to dynamically update the collision point calculation and adjust the missile's flight path in real-time, ensuring accurate interception despite the high-speed motion of hypersonic targets
3Measurement precision
If the missile radar sensor transmits radar signals continuously, then the target tracking accuracy is maintained, but the detection risk by the target increases
Solution Approach 1:
Air vehicles serve as intermediary radar platforms that perform the primary illumination and tracking of the target. The missile radar sensor acts as a passive receiver that uses the air vehicle's transmitted signals for bistatic measurements, eliminating the need for the missile to transmit continuously while maintaining tracking accuracy through the intermediary air vehicle radar
Solution Approach 2:
The missile radar transmitter operates periodically rather than continuously, transmitting radar signals only at critical moments when the missile is in the terminal phase of approach and precise range measurement is needed. This periodic transmission maintains necessary tracking accuracy while minimizing the time window for target detection
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves high target detection performance and tracking accuracy, enabling effective engagement of hypersonic threats in time-critical scenarios by using bistatic or multi-static radar measurements to determine a collision point, reducing the time and distance to the target, and minimizing detection by the target.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the at least one illumination air vehicle and the at least one missile comprises a respective radar sensor. The method comprises the steps of: controlling one or more of the radar sensors to perform bistatic or multi-static radar measurements
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for operating a cooperative radar sensor system is disclosed. The cooperative radar sensor system includes at least one illumination air vehicle (10, 20) and at least one missile (50) that is configured to follow a trajectory (M) to combat a target (90), each of the at least one illumination air vehicle (10, 20) and the at least one missile (50) comprises a respective radar sensor (11, 21, 51). The method comprises: controlling (S110) one or more of the radar sensors (11, 21, 51) to perform bistatic or multi-static radar measurements; evaluating (S120), based on the radar measurements, for a reference point and the target (90) at least one of the following: a range, a velocity, an azimuth angle, an elevation angle, a position, wherein the reference point is one of the radar sensor(11, 21, 51) or a fixed point; determining (S130), based on the evaluation, a collision point (500) of the missile (50) and the target (90); and controlling (S140) the missile (50) to the collision point (500) to hit the target (90) at the collision point (500).