MMW Target and Clutter Characterization using the Range Instrumentation Synthetic Aperture Radar

The U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (AMRDEC) and Redstone Test Center (RTC) at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama have developed a Ka band, range instrumentation synthetic aperture radar (RISAR) for the purpose of millimeter wave (MMW) target and scene characterization. RISAR was developed as one element of the Advanced Multi-Spectral Sensor and Subsystem Test Capabilities (AMSSTC) program funded and managed by the U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI), Project Manager for Instrumentation, Targets and Threat Simulators (PM ITTS). The key objective of RISAR is the collection of MMW SAR data that can be used to develop high resolution target and terrain models for use in digital and real-time hardware-in-the-loop simulations. The purpose of this presentation is to provide an overview of RISAR development and implementation. Example results of funded data collections will be presented with an emphasis on the system's 3D target modeling capabilities for ground targets, and wake characterization capabilities for littoral targets.