Clutter emulator for radar testing

With the advent of a new airborne radar signal processing technology entitled, "Space-Time Adaptive Processing (STAP)," previous testing methods have proven inadequate. STAP algorithms minimize the amount of interference competing with the desired signal. The algorithms are complex and their reaction to an actual in the air scenario difficult to predict via analysis and simulation. The desired test is to evaluate the performance on the ground in a controlled environment prior to installation and test in the air. The problem is that although jamming signals can be relatively easily generated, ground clutter, which depends on the aircraft speed, antenna beam width and antenna look angle, is difficult to represent realistically. Technology Service Corporation (TSC) has developed a realistic Radar Ground Clutter Emulator (RAGCLEM) which can be used to test STAP processors.