Array radar resource management

The operation of an electronically steered array (ESA) antenna is highly flexible in that a range of control parameters can be reconfigured nearly instantaneously. Consequently, an ESA is capable of executing numerous tasks supporting multiple functions, multiplexed in time and angle. However, this flexibility creates a challenging operation and resources management problem, in that a new radar dwell complete with beam direction and transmit waveform must be chosen within the time taken to execute the previous radar dwell. As controlling the operation of an ESA is beyond the capability of a human operator, automated management techniques are required, which are emerging as key performance factors for the next generation of multifunction radar systems. This chapter gives an overview of automated techniques for managing the operation and resources of an ESA.