Recent and current Air Force space based radar efforts

Efforts at fielding satellite based radar systems for performing tactical and strategic moving target indication (MTI), and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging, have been underway since the 1960´s. While some success has been achieved in SAR imagery, very little success has occurred for MTI. In 1995, an Air Force General Officer conference was held at which briefings were given on the feasibility of transitioning the MTI sensor functions of the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) and the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) to space. These briefings concluded that although it would be too expensive to transition these functions in 1995, there was a real potential that by 2000 the problem might become affordable. Accordingly, the AF Chief of Staff directed that space based radar studies continue. This paper provides an overview of major studies and development efforts which have occurred since 1995