New Generation Phased Array Digital Radars: “Digital Array Radar, Digital Beamforming”

In most of the existing conventional phased array radars, beamforming is performed by combining the signals received by the antenna elements across the aperture, after proper adjustment of amplitude and phase settings. In digital beamforming technique (Fig. 1), signals received from each channel (antenna element or subarray) are digitized using A/D converters. Multiple beams with different characteristics are obtained simultaneously by processing of these digital signals.

Using digital beamforming technique, system performance in detection, tracking, direction finding and classification is improved and multiple functions such as volume search, tracking, target identification, guidance or electronic protection is performed simultaneously. A system with similar properties can be realized in a more compact-form and cost efficiently with digital beamforming.

Digital beamforming is successfully implemented in Aselsan phased array radar systems. Transmit/Receive Modules, critical components of phased array antenna systems, are also being designed and manufactured in Turkey by Aselsan. 

In the Aselsan’s latest radar solution developed for Air Defense Systems named Mobile Search Radar, is one of the phased array radars developed using digital beamforming technique (Fig.  2). Similarly, the technique is being implemented in Multi-Function Naval Radar (CAFRAD-) and Long Range Surveillance Radars, which are currently under development, to achieve multi function performance with high performance and accuracy.