Offset Two-Panel AESA Radar for Wide Azimuth Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
AESA radar systems for aircraft applications face challenges in providing wide azimuth coverage without increasing the number of panels, which leads to cost and space issues due to substantial off-boresight gain losses when scanned away from the normal radiating aperture.
Innovation Solution
A two-panel AESA radar system is positioned with offset pointing directions on either side of the aircraft's longitudinal axis, allowing individual and joint operation to provide wide azimuth angles, minimizing panel count and overall volume, and optimizing impedance to reduce off-axis losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple AESA panels are used to provide wide azimuth coverage, then azimuth coverage is improved, but device complexity and physical space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides a large AESA panel into multiple smaller sub-panels (first, second, third, and fourth sub-panels) that can be independently controlled. This segmentation allows each sub-panel to be steered independently to achieve wide azimuth coverage without requiring multiple separate large panels, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining coverage capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces elevation steering capability in addition to azimuth steering, creating a two-dimensional scanning capability. By tilting sub-panels in the elevation direction and steering them in azimuth, the system achieves wide azimuth coverage through combined two-dimensional scanning rather than requiring multiple panels arranged in different spatial orientations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If AESA panels are scanned away from normal to the radiating aperture, then azimuth coverage is improved, but off-boresight gain loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention dynamically adjusts the steering angles of multiple sub-panels to maintain optimal gain distribution across the azimuth coverage range. By independently controlling the azimuth and elevation angles of each sub-panel, the system can compensate for off-boresight gain losses through coordinated multi-panel steering, maintaining relatively uniform gain across the wide azimuth field.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines the radiating apertures of multiple sub-panels to form a composite antenna system. By coherently combining the signals from multiple sub-panels with independently controllable steering angles, the system achieves wide azimuth coverage while maintaining higher effective gain through constructive interference, offsetting the natural gain loss that would occur with single-panel scanning.
3Loss of energy
If additional AESA panels are added to reduce off-boresight gain loss, then gain performance is improved, but cost and physical space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments a single large AESA panel into multiple smaller sub-panels that can be tightly integrated within the available aircraft space. This segmentation allows the system to achieve the equivalent performance of multiple separate panels while utilizing the internal volume more efficiently, reducing the overall physical space footprint compared to installing multiple discrete panels.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention arranges sub-panels in a nested or compact configuration where the third and fourth sub-panels are positioned adjacent to and can overlap with the first and second sub-panels in certain views. This nesting arrangement allows multiple radiating elements to be packed into a smaller overall volume, reducing the physical space required while maintaining the capability to independently steer each sub-panel for gain optimization.
Data Source
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AI summary
A two pane! radar system is disclosed. The radar system may inc!ude a pair of AESA panels respectively positioned on either side of a centra! axis, wherein a pointing direction of the first AESA panel is offset by a predetermined angle in a clockwise direction with respect to the central axis and a pointing direction of the second AESA panel is offset by the predetermined angle in a counterclockwise direction with respect to the centra! axis. A controller may be configured for selectively activating at least one of: the first AESA pane! for providing a first coverage area in a first direction offset from the central axis, the second AESA pane! for providing a second coverage area in a second direction offset from the centra! axis, or the pair of AESA panels jointly for providing a third coverage area between the first coverage area and the second coverage area.