Combined radar and illuminator for sea skimmers (CRISS)

A combined radar and illuminator provides surface combatants with defensive capability against low observable (LO), low flying threats out to the horizon. The key element of this multifunction radar is a four face phased array antenna suite mounted on mechanically stabilized pedestals to correct for ship's pitch and roll and electronically scanned along the horizon dimension only, providing the required high data rates at relatively low cost. Each of the four faces has two apertures for independent transmission of the pulse radar and illumination modes. The radar is a medium PRF pulse Doppler system and the illuminator uses GaAs MMIC modules distributed behind the array aperture to provide CW or ICW illumination modes. Both apertures are combined for the radar receive function providing maximum gain and improved height accuracy. Operating as an autonomous automatic fire control radar, this system engages the sea skimmer threats and off loads the task of close-in quick-reaction defense from the ship's volume radars.