Techniques for Missile Defense-Application Of Interferometry

"The objective of this proposed SBIR Phase I project is to evaluate applications of interferometric radar techniques to MDA missions. The applications are directed at improving target discrimination and identification; improving transportability for forwarddeployment and reducing the cost of MDA radars. The proposal is to assess the performance and feasibility of radar interferometry in three applications. The first application is as an augmentation to existing MDA radars, such as the GBR and THAAD toimprove their angular accuracy and resolution. The second application is a stand alone radar architecture alternative to current monolithic aperture designs such as the Patriot radar. The third application is a high frequency track function embedded inlower frequency antennas. The proposal is to evaluate mission radar technical requirements for each application, predict the performance of radar interferometers configured for the application, and identify risks and risk mitigation to be addressed in anexperimental program in Phase II. The intent is to leverage earlier SMDC activities in wide band radar interferometry to achieve a command guided hit-to-kill missile capability for defense against rockets and artillery. Radar interferometry offers thepotential for greatly improved track accuracy and resolution. Improved accuracy can result in reduced missile seeker costs or the elimination of the requirement for a seeker altogether. Higher an