Solid-State Upgrade for the COBRA JUDY S-Band Phased Array Radar

The COBRA JUDY S-band (CJ-S) radar is a unique system designed to collect high precision metric and signature data needed for missile treaty verification and strategic and theater missile defense development. The COBRA JUDY S-band phased-array radar became operational in 1981. The radar´s transmitter hardware is nearly 25 years old, and many of its components have become difficult to support and maintain. In December 2004, based upon the success of DTI´s earlier COBRA JUDY X-band transmitter upgrade, DTI was awarded a contract to replace all of the electronics systems in the S-band transmitter between ship´s power and the 16 TWTs, and to provide greatly enhanced control, fault handling, and diagnostics. This paper discusses the upgrade made by DTI to the COBRA JUDY radar.