Radar Review

Weekly Radar Review (2–9 November 2026)

2026-11-09T00:00:00.000+01:00

Radar Tech Infographic

Leonardo DRS begins production of the cxMHR fully digital software-defined C-band AESA radar offering continuous 360-degree hemispheric coverage for integrated air and missile defence. Detection exceeds 90 km against UAS and loitering munitions and 330 km against large transport aircraft; incorporates AI-enabled tracking and classification in a transportable ISO-containerized package. Source
Indra unveils the Prisma-S fully digital 4D AESA multifunction radar at Euronaval for next-generation European and allied naval vessels. Provides simultaneous anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare and long-range target designation with range, azimuth, altitude and target velocity data in congested electromagnetic environments. Source
Saab introduces the Sea Giraffe AMB D C-band multi-channel digital AESA naval radar. Delivers up to 250 km air-target detection and 50 km surface range, specialized drone tracking, high update rates, ECCM features and a software-defined architecture for continuous upgrades. Source
Calterah releases the Andes-Pro, claimed as the world’s first 6-transmit 6-receive mmWave radar SoC purpose-built for ADAS. Single-chip 36 virtual channels yield 1° azimuth and 3° elevation resolution with >200 m detection on weak targets; supports Flex-Cascading to 12Tx12Rx imaging radar; sampling planned for Q4 2026. Source
Ok Tedi Mining commissions the world’s first ArcSAR Neo slope-stability monitoring radars (IDS GeoRadar / Hexagon). Advanced processing reduces atmospheric interference and false alarms while improving early detection of small ground movements in complex open-pit environments. Source
Raytheon (RTX) receives a DARPA Phase 1 contract under the PICASSO program to develop all-optical photonic integrated circuits that process signals entirely with light, eliminating electro-optic conversion for faster radar and electronic-warfare response. Source
Singapore’s DSO National Laboratories advances indigenous gallium-nitride (GaN) transistor technology to enhance transmission performance of military radars and electronic-warfare systems. Source
Chalmers University researchers demonstrate radar odometry that converts existing marine radar returns into motion estimates via optic-flow techniques, enabling vessels to maintain course when GPS is unavailable or jammed (angular error <0.008 rad/s, speed error <0.25 m/s). Source
smartmicro launches the TOPGRD multi-frequency (77/79/80 GHz) traffic radar capable of replacing up to 32 inductive loops with AI tracking, and a single-chip 60–64 GHz in-cabin radar for child-presence detection, seat-belt reminders and heartbeat/breathing monitoring. Source
Photospace debuts the RA480 compact (480 mm) hardened, ITAR-free navigation radar designed specifically for submarines, incorporating reinforced mechanics, integrated AIS and improved antenna performance for surface navigation and anti-collision. Source
Acconeer secures a US$520 000 mass-production order for its A121 60 GHz pulsed coherent radar sensor for series automotive use, with deliveries scheduled for H1 2027. Source
Barbados Meteorological Services completes installation of a new weather radar (~US$1.75 M) that increases scan rate from every five minutes to every minute, improving early-warning lead time for hurricanes and regional hazards. Source
Research demonstration of a 77 GHz narrow-beam FMCW radar platform that combines closed-loop digital beam steering with quality-optimized processing to sharpen high-resolution imagery of moving vehicles, reducing cross-range response width significantly. Source
Baolong introduces the second-generation FR628 4D millimeter-wave radar featuring a single-chip 8T8R architecture and a waveguide antenna for improved angular resolution in automotive applications. Source
Unistring Tech Solutions (UTS) showcases an indigenous AESA radar and drone-based electronic intelligence system at India’s Swavlamban 2026 naval innovation event. Source

Notes: Items prioritized by novelty of systems, performance advances, and strategic relevance. Sources are primary or reputable secondary reports from the review window. Related acoustic systems (e.g., KONGSBERG Aegir sonars) noted but radar-focused.

Something is jamming GPS over Europe. Here's what we found...

2026-06-08T12:03:13.688+02:00

How Radar Works: Start Learning About EW Here

2023-03-08T15:02:00.002+01:00

Chasing Sub-Nanosecond Coherence: White Rabbit vs. GPS in Multistatic Radar

2022-03-08T17:05:00.000+01:00

What does particle physics at CERN have in common with tracking ships off the coast of Cape Town? The answer lies in ultra-precise timing—specifically, how we clock distributed sensor networks.

In a doctoral thesis completed at the University of Cape Town (UCT) under the Radar Remote Sensing Group, Dr. Simon Alexander Cole Lewis put two clocking mechanisms head-to-head in a coherent multistatic radar system: GPS-Disciplined Oscillators (GPSDOs) vs. CERN’s White Rabbit Network.

Here is a look at why this comparison matters, how the test was conducted in the field, and what it means for the future of radar sensing.

The Core Challenge: Keeping Multistatic Nodes Coherent

Single-station monostatic radars rely on an internal clock to send out a radio frequency pulse and measure its return time. In contrast, multistatic radar systems use multiple spatially separated transmitters and receivers.

Working cooperatively allows multistatic systems to detect stealth targets, defeat electronic counter-measures, and achieve high-resolution spatial tracking. However, combining signals from nodes located kilometers apart requires strict spatial, temporal, and phase synchronization. If the individual clocks drift by even a few nanoseconds or introduce phase jitter, the combined radar image degrades into spatial ambiguity and noise.

Comparing the Contenders

The UCT doctoral research evaluated two Time and Frequency Transfer (TFT) protocols:

GPS-Disciplined Oscillators (GPSDOs): Wireless synchronization using multi-channel GPS timing receivers operating under common-view time transfer. While cost-effective and easy to deploy without physical cabling between radar nodes, satellite timing remains vulnerable to weather, signal degradation, line-of-sight blockage, and RF interference/jamming.
White Rabbit (WR) Network: A fiber-optic timing technology initially designed at CERN for particle accelerators. Combining Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) with IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP), White Rabbit delivers sub-nanosecond precision and picosecond-level phase jitter over dedicated optical links.

Field Testing on NeXtRAD & The Lighthouse Benchmark

To move beyond laboratory predictions, the synchronization networks were integrated into NeXtRAD - UCT’s dual-band (X-band and L-band) polarimetric multistatic radar system.

During field trials across False Bay, South Africa, the team aimed the radar nodes at the Roman Rock Lighthouse—a static, stationary reflection point off the coast. By analyzing the Doppler spectra and direct line-of-sight signal paths from this fixed target, the research directly measured phase drift, Doppler noise, and timing alignment between nodes.

Results

Phase Coherence: The White Rabbit network achieved superior timing stability and near-zero phase drift compared to GPSDOs.
Radar Processing Gain: The sub-nanosecond precision of White Rabbit allowed NeXtRAD to successfully perform fully coherent spatial processing gain across distributed nodes.

Primary Sources & Reading

UCT Doctoral Thesis Repository: Read Dr. Simon A. C. Lewis's full dissertation via the University of Cape Town Open Access Repository.
IEEE Publication: Read the peer-reviewed field comparison in IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems.
Project Details: Overview of UCT’s Radar Remote Sensing Group (RRSG).

Lecture 19 from the Radar System Engineering course by Dr. Robert O'Donnell.

2017-03-12T17:31:00.001+01:00

This document contains slides from a lecture on electronic countermeasures (ECM) against radar systems. It discusses how ECM techniques like chaff, noise jamming and random pulses can be used to mask targets from radar detection by increasing clutter. It provides details on how chaff works, including its reflectivity properties and how it is dispensed. Examples are given of chaff masking an aircraft and deceiving trackers. The presentation also introduces how electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM) can be used to counter ECM techniques.

radar-2009-a-19-electronic-counter-measures

Lecture 18 from the Radar System Engineering course by Dr. Robert O'Donnell.

2017-03-10T17:29:00.000+01:00

This document provides an overview of a lecture on synthetic aperture radar (SAR). It begins with an introduction to SAR, including why it was developed due to limitations of conventional radar for imaging. It then discusses the basics of SAR and how it forms images using signal processing to synthesize a large antenna aperture. The document outlines the rest of the lecture topics which will cover SAR image formation techniques, examples, applications, and a history of the evolution of SAR from its origins in the 1950s to current systems.

radar-2009-a-18-synthetic-aperture-radar

Lecture 17 from the Radar System Engineering course by Dr. Robert O'Donnell.

2017-03-08T17:27:00.000+01:00

This document provides an overview of radar transmitter and receiver systems. It begins with an introduction and block diagram of radar transmitters and receivers. The bulk of the document then focuses on different types of high power tube amplifiers used in radar transmitters, including klystrons, traveling wave tubes, crossed field amplifiers, and magnetrons. It also briefly discusses solid state RF power amplifiers. The document concludes with an outline of topics to be covered, including receivers and waveform generators, other transmitter and receiver subsystems, and radar receiver-transmitter architectures.

radar-2009-a-17-transmitters-and-receivers

Lecture 16 from the Radar System Engineering course by Dr. Robert O'Donnell.

2017-03-04T17:24:00.003+01:00

This document summarizes a lecture on parameter estimation and tracking. It discusses tracking processes like track association, initiation, maintenance through prediction and updating, and termination. Filtering techniques like the Kalman filter are presented as ways to estimate target position and velocity while accounting for noise and maneuvers. Examples of civilian and military target maneuvers are provided to illustrate the challenges of tracking.

radar-2009-a-16-parameter-estimation-and-tracking-part2

Lecture 15 from the Radar System Engineering course by Dr. Robert O'Donnell.

2017-03-02T17:23:00.003+01:00

The document discusses a lecture on parameter estimation and tracking in radar systems. It covers topics like observable estimation including range, angle, Doppler, and amplitude measurement accuracy. It also discusses single target tracking techniques such as amplitude monopulse, phase comparison monopulse, sequential lobing, and conical scanning. The outline indicates it will cover multiple target tracking and provide a summary. Diagrams are included to illustrate concepts like angular tracking error sources and Doppler estimation.

radar-2009-a-15-parameter-estimation-and-tracking-part-1

Lecture 14 from the Radar System Engineering course by Dr. Robert O'Donnell.

2017-02-28T17:20:00.002+01:00

This document provides an overview of a lecture on airborne pulse Doppler radar systems. It discusses different airborne radar missions including fighter/interceptor radars like those used on F-16s and F-35s, as well as airborne early warning radars like AWACS. It covers topics like airborne radar clutter, pulse Doppler modes using different PRFs, and examples of military radars and their specifications. The goal is to explain the considerations and techniques involved in airborne pulse Doppler radar system design and operation.

radar-2009-a-14-airborne-pulse-doppler-radar

Lecture 13 from the Radar System Engineering course by Dr. Robert O'Donnell.

2017-02-26T17:17:00.001+01:00

This document discusses Doppler filtering techniques for radar clutter rejection. It begins with an introduction to the problem of rejecting ground, sea, rain, and bird clutter for radar systems. It then covers pulse Doppler processing techniques including the use of burst waveforms and Doppler filter banks. It concludes with a discussion of implementations of Doppler filters and issues with airborne pulse Doppler radars.

radar-2009-a-13-clutter-rejection-doppler-filtering

Lecture 12 from the Radar System Engineering course by Dr. Robert O'Donnell.

2017-02-24T17:14:00.003+01:00

This document contains lecture slides about radar clutter rejection techniques. It discusses the history of moving target indication (MTI) and how digital technology has enabled more advanced processing. MTI uses Doppler filtering to suppress stationary clutter and detect moving targets. Early MTI employed crude subtraction of stored pulses. Modern digital implementations allow complex signal processing over many pulses for improved clutter cancellation.

radar-2009-a-12-clutter-rejection-basics-and-mti

Lecture 11 from the Radar System Engineering course by Dr. Robert O'Donnell.

2017-02-22T17:11:00.008+01:00

The document describes a lecture on radar waveforms and pulse compression. It introduces matched filters and how they are implemented by convolving a reflected echo with a time-reversed transmit pulse. This maximizes the signal-to-noise ratio. Pulse compression techniques like linear frequency modulation and phase coding are then discussed, which allow the use of longer pulses that increase energy while maintaining high range resolution. The goal is to reduce the high peak power needs of short pulses for applications like airborne radar.

radar-2009-a-11-waveforms-and-pulse-compression

Lecture 10 from the Radar System Engineering course by Dr. Robert O'Donnell.

2017-02-19T17:03:00.002+01:00

The first part of this lecture discusses radar clutter from unwanted objects like ground, sea, rain, and birds/insects. It provides examples of military radars for which clutter is an issue and outlines factors that affect ground clutter backscatter like terrain type, frequency, and depression angle. Median ground clutter strength values are shown for various terrain types and frequencies.

radar-2009-a-10-radar-clutter1

The second part of the lecture provides details on the attributes of rain clutter such as how it is affected by wavelength and circular polarization. Graphs are presented showing reflectivity of rain and its Doppler spectrum. Bird clutter properties around radar cross-section, velocity, and density are also covered. The document aims to explain the impact of various clutter sources on radar performance.

radar-2009-a-10-radar-clutter2pdf

Lecture 9 from the Radar System Engineering course by Dr. Robert O'Donnell.

2017-01-21T16:58:00.002+01:00

The document is a lecture on radar antennas and discusses various antenna scanning techniques. It begins with an overview of radar systems and the radar equation. It then covers antenna fundamentals and different types of mechanical, electronic and hybrid scanning antennas used in radar systems. The lecture outlines electronic scanning with phased arrays, including linear and planar array beamforming. It discusses controlling the array pattern through element excitation phases and amplitudes. Properties of linear arrays like beamwidth and sidelobes are also covered. The document provides examples of increasing array gain by adding more elements.

radar-2009-a-9-antennas-2

Lecture 8 from the Radar System Engineering course by Dr. Robert O'Donnell.

2017-01-20T16:56:00.002+01:00

This lecture provides an overview of radar antennas and scanning techniques. It begins with introductions to basic antenna concepts such as near and far field regions, electromagnetic field equations, polarization, and antenna gain. It then discusses reflector antennas, which use mechanical scanning to direct the antenna beam. The document outlines additional topics that will be covered, including phased array antennas, frequency scanning, and hybrid scanning methods. The goal is to provide an introduction to different types of radar antennas and how they are used to direct electromagnetic energy.

radar-2009-a-8-antennas-1

Lecture 7 from the Radar System Engineering course by Dr. Robert O'Donnell.

2017-01-19T16:47:00.020+01:00

The first part of this lecture provides an overview of radar cross section (RCS) and techniques for predicting a target's RCS through both measurement and theoretical calculation. It begins with definitions of RCS and factors affecting it. Examples of typical RCS values for different targets are given. Physical scattering mechanisms and contributors to a target's RCS are described. Both full-scale and scale model target measurement techniques are outlined. Theoretical prediction methods including geometrical optics, physical optics, and diffraction theories are introduced. Scaling laws for applying results from scale models to full-scale targets are also covered.

radar-2009-a-7-radar-cross-section-1

The second part of the lecture discusses various methods for calculating radar cross section (RCS), including the finite difference time domain method, method of moments, geometrical optics, physical optics, geometrical theory of diffraction, and physical theory of diffraction. It provides overviews and comparisons of each method, explaining their approaches and areas of applicability. The document also includes examples of RCS calculations and summaries of key points about specific methods.

radar-2009-a-7-radar-cross-section-2

Lecture 6 from the Radar System Engineering course by Dr. Robert O'Donnell.

2017-01-18T16:44:00.012+01:00

This document summarizes a lecture on radar signal detection. It discusses detecting signals in noise, the radar detection problem, basic target detection tests, and how detection performance is affected by factors like signal-to-noise ratio and number of integrated pulses. It outlines concepts like probability of detection, probability of false alarm, and the tradeoff between the two. Integration of multiple pulses can improve performance through coherent or non-coherent integration. Fluctuating targets are also addressed.

radar-2009-a-6-detection-of-signals-in-noise

Lecture 5 from the Radar System Engineering course by Dr. Robert O'Donnell.

2017-01-17T16:30:00.014+01:00

This document contains lecture slides about radar signal propagation through the atmosphere. It discusses various propagation effects including reflection from the Earth's surface, atmospheric refraction, multipath interference, and attenuation. It provides equations for calculating propagation losses and phase differences between direct and reflected signals. Examples are given of how propagation affects radar coverage and detection range for a shipborne surveillance radar system.

Lecture 5. Propagation effects

Lecture 4 from the Radar System Engineering course by Dr. Robert O'Donnell.

2017-01-16T16:30:00.005+01:00

Lecture 4 Radar equationfrom Forward2025

Lecture 3 from the Radar System Engineering course by Dr. Robert O'Donnell.

2017-01-15T16:29:00.003+01:00

Lecture 3 Review of signals systems and dspfrom Forward2025

Lecture 2 from the Radar System Engineering course by Dr. Robert O'Donnell.

2017-01-14T16:27:00.013+01:00

Lecture 2from Forward2025

Lecture 1 from the Radar System Engineering course by Dr. Robert O'Donnell.

2017-01-13T16:25:00.011+01:00

Lecture 1from Forward2025

A course in Radar System Engineering by Dr. Robert O'Donnell.

2017-01-12T16:02:00.121+01:00

The course was initially developed in 2000 for engineers and scientists with little radar experience. It covers core topics in radar fundamentals and subsystems over multiple lectures. The course has evolved significantly and now includes additional material on radar applications. It is intended to provide students a broad understanding of radar principles and issues.

source

The course contents

How the Radar System Works: Defence and Science

2016-05-04T09:51:00.009+02:00