Techniques to Mitigate Interference Between U.S. Navy Radars and Wireless Communication Systems

The recent expansion of the “Unlicensed – National Information Infrastructure” (U-NII) frequency allocation into the 5 GHz band greatly increases the potential for mutual interference between new users of this band, such as IEEE 802.11a and similar wireless communication systems, and key DoD radar systems. These problems are likely to become more severe as new spectrum allocations continue and radar assumes a larger role in homeland security applications. The objectives of the proposed program are to analyze interference mitigation techniques for both radar and communication systems and to provide recommendations for radar upgrades, new wireless system designs and future spectrum allocation decisions. The studies will focus primarily on the 5 GHz band and the Navy’s AN/SPS-67 surface search radar. Analyses will be based on detailed radar and communication system specifications, and the AN/SPS-67 can be used as a testbed for follow-on work to validate projected performance improvements. Key users of the spectrum will be identified, and analyses and simulations will be conducted to identify interference coupling mechanisms and performance impacts. Technical recommendations will be developed for both radar and communication systems. Key trade-offs will be identified and evaluated with reference to European and Japanese spectrum allocations and allied forces interoperability requirements.