Digital signal processor for air traffic control radars
Summary
At a previous NEREM Meeting [1] and in a subsequent paper [2], we described the general philosophy and particular ideas which can be used to overcome the problems associated with achieving good radar detection performance in the presence of various types of clutter; ground clutter (including second-time-around returns ), weather clutter and angels (bird flocks). Recently, a digital signal processor called an MTD (Moving Target Detector) has been designed and built for application to an S-band ASR (Airport Surveillance Radar). This paper describes the MTD and presents some preliminary test results. The MTD is a special purpose hard-wired digital signal processor which is capable of processing a full 360 coverage in 1/16 nmi steps out to a nominal range of 48 nmi. The MTD was designed to provide digital radar output to an automated air traffic control system.