Precision bombing of moving armoured vehicles in cities from fixed-wing aircraft could be possible with improved radar signal processing, says UK-based systems engineering specialist Sula Systems.
Algorithms designed to error-correct synthetic aperture radar (SAR) returns are being developed by the company for the UK Ministry of Defence-funded Electro Magnetic Remote Sensing Defence Technology Centre (EMRS DTC). Part of a £30 million ($55 million) three-year contract for sensing equipment, the software will be tested in simulations and modelling.
Sula Systems says that the work started a month ago and will last a year, by which time "it should remove the errors, [generated by] objects moving relative to the radar, at the first pass. What we want to be able to do is have a very accurate way to [target vehicles to] reduce collateral damage".
The SAR algorithm contract is a feasibility study that could lead to further work if the simulations involving targeting tanks and armoured personnel carriers in built-up areas are successful.
The EMRS DTC consortium is led by BAE Systems Avionics and includes Filtronic, Roke Manor Research and Thales Defence UK.
Source: Flight International
