Effect of antenna aircraft interaction on phased-array radar performance

Large ultralow sidelobe airborne array antennas are required for detection of low radar cross section targets against a background of complex clutter and jammer interference. One of the critical factors which limits the clutter and jammer suppression performance of adaptive phased-array radars is the impact of the aircraft in the near-field of a high gain antenna. The authors describe a simulation which provides a cost effective method of predicting performance. They describe the modelling of the aircraft and airborne radar simulation, and compare the performances attainable in the airborne environment for two possible antenna-aircraft platform configurations using the Ohio State University´s geometrical theory of diffraction numerical code