Multifunction Phased Array Radar Panel

An innovative design exploits dual polarization and digital beamforming to provide a radar solution for simultaneous aircraft surveillance and weather sensing. Most people immediately recognize the importance of radar systems to the Federal Aviation Administration FAA, which relies on radar to track and manage air traffic, and to the National Weather Service, which provides forecasts and emergency weather information. Yet, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Departments of Agriculture and Homeland Security, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other federal agencies depend on civilian networks of eight distinct radar systems for a wide variety of information identification and tracking of vehicles, radar imaging from space, and climate data, to name a few. However, these 10- to 40-year-old systems are nearing the end of their designed lifespans. MIT Lincoln Laboratory has proposed a multifunction phased-array radar MPAR system as the replacement for these aging systems. Unlike the current civilian radar systems that use rotating dish antennas, the MPAR system has no moving parts, instead utilizing four antenna faces for 360 degree scanning, and electronically shapes its radar beam. The MPARs resulting beam agility permits faster full-volume scan rates and increased resolution, and enables one radar unit to perform various weather and aircraft surveillance tasks. In addition, an MPAR systems surveillance capabilities would likely exceed those of current radar systems by allowing more frequent weather scans and providing vertical resolution and height estimates for aircraft.