TCAR: The trans-atlantic cooperation for a state-of-the-art AGS radar

In view of the NATO Air-to-Ground Surveillance requirement and the results of the 2004 Feasibility Study on the development of an advanced SAR/MTI radar system, the TCAR industries, represented by a group of industries from 6 nations (FR, GE, IT, NL, SP, USA), have been tasked by the NATO AGS Prime Contractor to conduct a 6-month Risk Reduction Study. This study and follow-on activities have led to the current readiness level for a Design & Development contract. The architectural design of the system is based on knowledge from currently ongoing and legacy radar programs in these countries and the NATO AGS requirements. To perform the program the radar industries have founded the TCAR-Industries GmbH, which is a joint venture of these companies. A programmatic and technical overview of the TCAR program will be presented in this paper. Furthermore, a discussion is presented on global requirements, platform configuration, technical approach to simultaneous SAR and MTI operation, the global radar configuration, processing aspects and radar mode developments.