The future of surface surveillance-revolutionizing the view of the battlefield

The early stages of a revolution in real-time surface surveillance and attack are here. Advances in radar, information algorithms, high performance processing, wideband communications, geolocation capability, attack sensors and smart weapons have set the stage for a fundamental change in military capability. The successful deployment of Joint STARS has been the operational catalyst that has spawned a mutually supportive family of real time surveillance programs from D-II in space down through tactical UAV. Stovepipe exploitation systems each dedicated to a particular sensor are disappearing in favor of intelligent nodes consisting of advanced recognition and manipulation tools and algorithms implemented largely in commercial high performance processors. Weapon systems and weapons are obtaining the capability to meaningfully employ this battlefield Internet to select and engage challenging targets in real time with pinpoint precision. The radars supporting the warfighter are achieving a continuum of functionality, from imaging of fixed targets to detection of both slow and fast moving surface targets. Single function radars are not the future. The challenge for the radar designer is to merge the SAR technology requirements for accurate platform motion compensation and increased bandwidth with the GMTI technology requirements for clutter rejection and increased power. The challenge for the information system architect is to synergistically combine SAR, GMTI, and other sensors together into a layered network to provide continuous, on-demand, surveillance and enable direct weapon engagement of the most difficult of military targets