Swathbuckler-radar system and signal processing

Swathbuckler is a multinational initiative to research, build and test an extremely wide swath synthetic aperture radar imaging system. Contributions to the project came from AFRL Rome New York USA (high performance computer (HPC) implementation and Joint Battlespace Infosphere (JBI)), DSTL Malvern UK (high speed data capture and distribution processor (HSDCDP)), and DRDC Ottawa Canada (experimental radar testbed, signal processing algorithm design and test aircraft). This paper describes the Canadian contribution to the Swathbuckler experiment. Particular emphasis is placed on the architecture of the experimental airborne radar and the high-level design of the motion compensation and signal processing algorithms. Companion papers provide a complete Swathbuckler overview, details on the HSDCDP, details on the HPC implementation and the utilization of the JBI, and finally results from the flight tests in Ottawa.