The Radar Threat Simulator (RTS) is a "smart" simulation test, and evaluation system used
to generate realistic threat radar waveforms. The RTS has several configurations and has
been used in a variety of applications including laboratory-based modeling and simulation,
threat emulation, high-powered ground-based anti-aircraft threat emitters, and an airborne
pod configuration for simulating anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM). The RTS is an open
architecture radar design based on the SPC MkV radar system with all the inherent
MkV capabilities available for integration. Different waveforms can
be generated on a pulse-to-pulse basis allowing the RTS to achieve maximum flexibility.
The Radar Threat Simulator provides realistic training for shipboard electronic warfare (EW) personnel and
systems. The RTS provides realistic missile seeker emissions to
evaluate the operation of RF decoys and other EW systems; and provides a cost-effective
in-house test, training, and validation capability.
The system has the following general capabilities:
RTS System Performance Description
- Operation in both I and J frequency bands (requires changeover of some Radar Subsystem hardware).
- Very high Effective Radiated Power (ERP) with a high system dynamic range.
- Automatic or manual target designation.
- Variable pulse widths, pulse repetition frequencies, tracking gate widths and search patterns.
- PRF jitter, stagger, and frequency agility.
- Tracking in range, azimuth, and elevation (optional).
- Data acquisition rates of up to 5 Mbytes per second.
- Removable data storage capability of up to 14 Gbytes per storage medium.
- Intuitive Graphical User Interface with custom tracking performance indicators and a live video window of target area.
Laboratory Configuration
In a laboratory configuration, the RTS has been used to generate realistic threat radar
waveforms that are injected directly into the customer's Electronic Counter Counter
Measures (ECCM) modeling software.
Airborne Configuration
For the airborne configuration, some components of the RTS system
are mounted in the aircraft and some components are mounted in an external pod. The
aircraft simulates missile flight profiles and the RTS simulates threat radar seeker
waveforms. The RTS can vary threat radar waveforms on a pulse-to-pulse basis but the
frequency range is restricted due to space limitations.
The RTS Airborne system can simulate a number of
different missile types by varying parameters such as pulse width, pulse repetition
frequency, gate size, and detection criteria.
The RTS Airborne system consists of three major subsystems; a pod, the radar, and the
console. The carriage aircraft provides power, GPS data, and radio communications in
addition to the operator position. The SPC MkV radar can be integrated into a variety of
pods.
The core RF components for the Radar Subsystem, based on the SPC MkV Radar (including the antenna/gimbal assembly,
the transmitter, and the transceiver elements), are located within the pod. The
remaining radar components are located in the aircraft cabin
in a ruggedized electronics rack enclosure. SPC MkV radar systems use primarily
commercial off-the-shelf components.
SPC MKV radar systems use a standard operator console, which consists of a monitor and a
PC running custom software and various data collection components, all commercial off the
shelf. Operator menus are easily customized for individual customer requirements. For
Airborne system applications the console is shock-mounted or ruggedized as required.
The console also includes the capability to store the operator's display for post-mission
replay.
Ground-based Configuration
In the ground-based configuration, the RTS is used
to simulate anti-aircraft search and tracking radars on Air Combat Maneuvering test
ranges. The RTS is mounted on a mobile platform that can be easily repositioned. The RTS
generates high-powered threat radar waveforms, which can vary from 2-18Ghz on a
pulse-to-pulse basis.
Flexibility
The Radar Threat Simulator enjoys all the flexibility of the SPC MkV radar system. The
radar is a plug-and-play architecture, which has been designed with enough flexibility
to easily allow for future technology developments
RTS Application: Royal Australian Navy's Generic Threat Simulator
The Radar Threat Simulator Airborne system is an enhanced follow-on design based on the
Generic Threat Simulator (GTS) Concept Demonstrator. The GTS concept demonstrator,
pictured on the Learjet 35A, was used to complete trials for the Royal Australian Navy
for the Acceptance Into Naval Service of the NULKA Active Missile Decoy system in
1998. SPC was a subcontractor to Vision Abell Pty Ltd (now Tenix) for building the GTS
Concept Demonstrator. The GTS Concept Demonstrator consists of a SPC MKV radar that is
housed in a pod fitted to a Learjet 35A aircraft wing pylon. An operator console inside
the aircraft provides system control. The operator is able to configure the radar to
emulate different seeker parameters.
Pictured is the pod for the Australian GTS Concept Demonstrator, provided by
Tenix.
The GTS Concept Demonstrator Pod Subsystem contains a majority of the radar
subsystem as well as other ancillary pieces of equipment such as a radar altimeter and
cooling system. The pod structure is 20 inches in diameter and approximately 123 inches
long with an overall weight of approximately 750 lbs. A video camera is fitted to the
leading edge of the Learjet wing pylon to provide the operator in the aircraft cabin
with real-time images of the target ship.
During an operational run, the console operator is presented with several display
windows showing the live video of the target ship, system status information, and a
series of custom tracking performance indicators. These indicators highlight whether the
radar system is tracking the target ship, decoys or other countermeasure devices. The
operator's console customized by Tenix for the GTS system is shown.
