iscover
The AWACS is the flagship of US AEW technology, based on evolved versions of the 1970s APY-1 radar. The APY-1 and 2 radars are microwave E/F band systems, with mechanical rotodome scan in azimuth and phased array techniques in height finding. The system delivers superlative long range detection and tracking performance, but is penalised by size and weight, which impose the need for a large airframe (C-137/707 or widebody) and this reflects in high acquisition and support costs. (Paul Merritt)
Technology Explained – Phased Array AEW&C Pt 1
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Airborne Early Warning And Control
Part I: Introduction To Phased Array Technology
The technology of Airborne Early Warning (AEW&C) systems is at a generational junction point at this time. We are now witnessing the next step in the lengthy evolution of this key technology, that being the transition from mechanically scanned antenna technology to electronically scanned phased array technology. Phased array antenna technology has been in use for some decades, but most applications have been confined to ground-based systems, due to significant weight and size penalties associated with older families of electronic devices. The ongoing march of miniaturisation combined with significant improvements in microwave power transistor device technology has now allowed its wider use in airborne applications, offering some very interesting capabilities.
Conventional Antenna Systems
The purpose of a radar antenna is to focus a beam of electromagnetic energy into a desired shape and direction, and because of the nicer properties of electromagnetism, the shape of the transmitted beam is identical to the shape of the antenna’s sensitivity pattern when receiving. In an AEW&C application, and typically most airborne surveillance applications, the shape of the beam is designed to maximise the chances of detecting a distant and small target.
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