An Experimental Adaptive Array for Radar Applications

This paper concerns an experimental adaptive array facility at ASWE. The array operates at X-band and comprises a linear arrangement of 8 dipoles spaced approximately 0.6 λ apart. The signal processor is an analogue implementation of a simple gradient-descent algorithm operating at an IF of 60 MHz. Radar waveforms are usually well suited to this adaptive implementation in that target returns are sufficiently low power and duration that the control circuitry does not respond to them. Some preliminary experimental results include transient response and steady state adapted patterns for several interference situations. The results are compared with those predicted by theory and shown to be in reasonable agreement.