Real-time, low-cost, due regard radar target simulation

A low-cost Radar Target Simulator (RTS) lab tool is being developed for General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) in an undergraduate-industry partnership. For proof-of-concept, the RTS is being constructed from commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and is designed to provide synthetic target returns to GA-ASI´s Due Regard Radar (DRR). Its architecture accommodates future improvements allowing the testing of other families of GA-ASI radars. The RTS functions as a Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM), using a command line interface to create an airspace model. The RTS provides returns mimicking real world targets. The user has freedom to adjust parameters of Radar Cross-section (RCS), range, and velocity, allowing for comprehensive simulation of a wide variety of air-to-air scenarios.