Airborne clutter measurements

The first phase of a two-part radar measurement program to address the required clutter and clutter artifacts measurements critical to the design of the next generation airborne (or spaceborne) surveillance radar is described. The program determined what critical clutter measurements were needed, the implications of various waveforms and signal processing on the detailed nature of the clutter statistics to be measured and analyzed, and whether they can be made with an aerostat radar. A test plan for both measurement phases, a set of proof-of-principle measurements conducted utilizing aerostat-borne L-band radar, and the data obtained are presented. It is shown that the aerostat radar is stable and has the sensitivity and dynamic range for the full measurement program.