Detection and Tracking of Low-Altitude Aircraft Using HF Surface-Wave Radar

Abstract : A series of aircraft-detection trials was conducted using experimental high frequency surface wave radar (HFSWR) facilities located on the east coast of Canada. These trials were part of a research and development project undertaken by DND to demonstrate the HFSWR technology in a wide-area coastal surveillance role. Several aircraft were used in these trials, including a Beechcraft King-Air 200, a Lockheed T-33 and a Canadair Challenger 601 aircraft. Experimental results were in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions. With relatively low averaged power, the King-Air and the Challenger were tracked to beyond 120 km. The ability of the HFSWR to track manoeuvring targets was demonstrated. In addition the radar was shown to be capable of long-range tracking of high-altitude aircraft. Signal processing algorithms for the HFSWR can be improved by exploiting the characteristics of the signal environment measured in these trials.