Providing the Required Accuracy of Measurements of Spatial Coordinates of Aerial Objects

Modern Phased-Array Antenna (PAA) radars are an effective mean of aerial reconnaissance and provide radar information on aerial objects in a complex environment. The article subject is the influence of the troposphere inhomogeneities on the decrease in the accuracy of measurement of air objects angular coordinates and their altitude in the PAA radars. The estimation technique is developed and possible values of the mean-square errors of measurement of air objects angular coordinates and altitude are obtained, which are caused by the influence of radar signal phase wave front fluctuations for the three-coordinate PAA radar of centimeter range. It is assumed, that the phase fluctuations are distributed according to normal probability law with zero mean, and correlations of phase fluctuations decrease with exponential law. This analysis makes it possible to determine the conditions under which the complication of the processing algorithm for radar signal is considered justified. This technique can be practically used in assessing the effect of real conditions of radar signal propagation on the reduction of the capabilities of modern PAA radars to perform tasks on purpose.