CROSS SECTION

THE LOW RADAR CROSS-SECTION AIR TARGET IS A CREDIBLE, DIFFICULT THREAT WHICH DEMANDS AN AIR DEFENSE CAPABILITY NOT NOW AVAILABLE. ONE PROMISING SOLUTION INVOLVES A MULTISTATIC RADAR. SUCH A RADAR HAS A NUMBER OF ATTRACTIVE FEATURES, BUT IT'S FUNDAMENTAL ADVANTAGE, VIS-A-VIS LOW RCS AIR TARGETS, IS THAT IT COUNTERS THE REDUCTION IN BACKSCATTERED ENERGY BY VIEWING TARGETS THROUGH BISTATIC ANGLES WHERE THE REFLECTED ENERGY MAY, IN FACT, BE ENHANCED. THIS PROPOSAL DESCRIBES A PARTICULAR MULTISTATIC RADAR SYSTEM WHICH APPEARS TO OFFER THE PRACTICAL, EFFECTIVE, AND ATTRACTIVE RESPONSE TO THE LOW RCS AIR TARGET THREAT. IT EXPLOITS THE FACT THAT, IN THE AN/TPS-59, THE USMC ALREADY DEPLOYS A RADAR WHICH COMES CLOSE TO ACHIEVING ADEQUATE COUNTER-STEALTH CAPABILITY. THE MARINE CORPS DOES NOT NEED A NEW RADAR TO BEAR THE TOTAL BURDEN OF DETECTING AND TRACKING LOW RCS AIR TARGETS. RATHER, IT NEEDS A RADAR TO COMPLEMENT THE AN/TPS-59, PROVIDING THE REQUIRED TOTAL SYSTEM CAPABILITY AT THE LOWEST ADDITIONAL COST AND COMPLEXITY. THIS IS PRECISELY WHAT THE PROPOSED MULTISTATIC RADAR DOES.