Field trial of the first photonic-based radar for maritime border security and harbor protection

The field trial results of the first photonics-based radar system in a real maritime environment are presented in this paper. The exploited prototype is the final outcome of the ERC-funded project PHODIR (PHOtonics-based fully DIgital Radar). The system exploits photonic technologies for both the generation and the detection of radar RF signals, allowing increased performance and an unprecedented potential flexibility. This paper details the system capabilities and presents the field trial campaign conducted at the port of Livorno (Italy), detecting naval targets on both long range and harbor maneuvering. The results prove the effectiveness of the proposed scheme and the benefits of photonics highlighting the excellent performance and promising improvements.