Missile Guidance Capability of Active Phased Array Radar Supports Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile and SM-2 Block IIIA Missile

 

Active phased array radar is an air-based, electronically scanned array radar developed and manufactured by Thales Ltd., of the Netherlands. It has four fixed (i.e., non-rotating) sensor arrays (faces), fixed on a pyramidal structure and was first used on the British navy ship, the Oceanic Express, to detect and track merchant vessels during the Second World War. The missile guidance capability of APAR supports the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) and the SM-2 Block IIIA missile.

Active phased arrays can either be active or passive. Active ones are constantly in motion and rely on radar transmitters to send signals out to a central 'head' when there is an active exchange of energy. This process is called 'pulse detection' and involves sending out pulses of laser light at a frequency that matches the energy being radiated back at the detector. These pulses of light will then eventually come into contact with the receiver, which will then trigger the electrical pulse motor, sending a series of impulses that will cause the electrical process within the receiver to accelerate and 'fold' the incoming energy into usable electricity.

The passive radar system works very much like the active phased array radar in that it also uses a pulse-based process to accelerate an electronically scanned array of laser light in much the same way. But, the passive system works entirely using passive electronic beams that move through space, avoiding other things such as surface clutter or heat sources that would slow or stop the system's transmission process. For instance, a missile launching from a ship at sea using passive seeker technology will not collide with any other missiles or ships at the same time. Also, the tracking process of a ship without a tracking system will not collide with a missile fired from a destroyer on a cruise missile strike if those ships were traveling together. This is because the ship tracking system will use a tracking grid of satellites in space that will be able to precisely pinpoint a ship at a specific location.

As you can see, both active phased array radar and passive phased arrays have their advantages. If you're looking for a radar system to operate this equipment is extremely important to understand the advantages of each type so you will be able to make the right decision based on your radar requirements. When it comes to choosing between an active and passive phased array, it all depends on whether or not your radar needs will be for passive or active transmission. There are some other important factors to consider as well such as the size and shape of the antenna element and also the optimal range capability of the antenna element.

For instance, an antenna can either be a phased array or a pyramidal structure. If your radar needs are for a stationary transmission then you would choose a phased structure such as a quadrant radar or even a phased pyramidal structure. For a ship tracking system then the antenna element will need to be a quadrant array. These sensor arrays in general will have their power amplifier and power controlling electronics in one assembly along with the main transmitter. The transmitter of these sensor arrays in general can operate in X-band frequencies.

So, the active phased array radar system has many advantages over the passive radar systems. Although these active phased array radars are more expensive than the passive phased radar systems it gives the ship the ability to lock a ship targeting laser so they are not ambushed while in port.