Wireless Networks for Beamforming in Distributed Phased Array Radar

The Wirelessly Networked Aperstructure Digital Phased Array Radar (WNADPAR) applies three relatively new concepts: Opportunistic, Aperstructure, and Wirelessly Networked Digital Architecture concepts. Using this approach almost the full length of the ship becomes the aperture of the phased array radar by placing the antenna elements at available open areas and having the power supply as the only wired connection. This thesis research addressed the wireless networking of the full-scale radar system. An analysis of the various existing and newly developed wireless technologies and guided transmission media was conducted to determine a baseline approach for the full system implementation. A two-element array demonstrator was wirelessly networked and tested to allow wireless communication between the central beamformer and controller and the T/R modules. Control and monitoring software was developed in LabVIEW that allows simultaneous transmission and reception in both T/R modules. Finally, a number of tests and measurements were conducted to validate the operation of the two-element array demonstrator while transmitting the control data wirelessly.