Operational Scanning Radar Altimeter for Real-Time Reporting of Directional Ocean Wave Spectra

This Phase I SBIR Proposal describes design concepts for a solid-state scanning radar altimeter suitable for operational measurement of ocean wave spectra from hurricane reconnaissance aircraft. A compact, solid-state radar design is proposed, suitable for operation from a wing pod, mounted on a P-3 or C-130 aircraft. Using a high compression ratio linear FM chirp waveform, the proposed design can achieve very high effective peak power (over 100 kW) with a commercially available solid-state Ka-band amplifier. The system will be designed for unattended operation, relaying measurements of the directional ocean wave spectra computed on-board the aircraft to the National Hurricane Center via a satellite link. The Phase I design study will cover all aspects of the RF, digital and software design, resulting in a concise plan for construction and demonstration of a solid-state scanning radar altimeter system in Phase II.