Detection of Low RCS Supersonic Flying Targets with a High-Resolution MMW Radar

Area of Science:

• Radar Systems Engineering
• Electromagnetics
• Signal Processing

Background:

• Detecting low radar cross-section (RCS) targets at high velocities presents significant challenges.
• Millimeter-wave radar offers potential for high-resolution target tracking due to its wide bandwidth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel method for real-time detection of low RCS targets moving at very high speeds.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of using high-resolution millimeter-wave radar for tracking fast-moving objects like projectiles.
• To explore the extraction of both kinematic and physical characteristics of targets in motion.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a continuous wave (CW) millimeter-wave radar system.
• Employed signal heterodyning to process the received reflections from the target.
• Operated in an extremely high-frequency band to enable a low sampling rate.
• Integrated small antennas for high-resolution velocity detection with minimal atmospheric absorption.

Main Results:

• Successfully detected a fired bullet, a low RCS target, in real-time.
• Achieved high-resolution velocity and position extraction of the moving target.
• Demonstrated the capability to extract physical characteristics of the detected object.
• Validated the use of a low sampling rate with inexpensive equipment.

Conclusions:

• High-resolution millimeter-wave radar is effective for detecting and characterizing high-speed, low RCS targets.
• The CW heterodyning technique enables real-time kinematic and physical property extraction.
• Operating at extremely high frequencies facilitates the use of cost-effective hardware and low sampling rates.