SPECIFICATION OF THE INVENTION

1. Title of the Invention

Novel method for simulation of Passive Electronic Scanned Array Radar for Air Combat Simulator

2. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to Radar simulator, in particular simulator for airborne Passive Electronic Scanned Array Radar for fighter aircraft. The invention is part of an Air Combat Simulator and simulates the functionalities of the airborne Passive Electronic Scanned Array (PESA) Fire Control Radar for imparting combat training to the pilots.

3. Prior art and Draw backs of prior art

An air combat simulator enables flight simulation for multiple different types of fighter aircrafts in a common simulation system to create an air combat scenario. A generic Fire Control Radar simulator was used in Air combat simulator to simulate the Radar functionalities of the fighter aircrafts. The generic Fire Control Radar Simulator was not meeting the operational requirements of the Passive Electronic Scanned Array Radar for the advanced fighter aircraft. Hence the combat training on PESA Radar, by flying actual fighter aircraft with on board PESA Radar, was an expensive affair.

4. Aim of the Invention

The primary objective of the invention is to produce a close simulation of airborne Passive Electronic Scanned Array (PESA) Radar, including simulation of Passive Electronic Scanning Antenna operation, performance of the Radar under electronic counter measures, such as Jamming and generation of combined digital synthetic video integrating data from Radar simulation, missile simulation and simulated Data link.

5. Summary of the present invention

The present invention is an innovative method to simulate operation and performance of the Passive Electronic Scanned Array (PESA) Radar for advanced fighter aircraft, without employing actual Radar hardware and separate signal processing unit. In the present method, the simulation of PESA Radar is achieved using five distinct modules, such as User Input Module (101), Mode Management Module (102), Antenna Simulation Module (103), Target Detection Module (104) and Video Generation Module (105). The User Input Module (102) provides interface to the cockpit and other sub-systems to receive navigation data of the parent aircraft, missile data from missile simulation and environment data. The Mode Management Module (102) simulates engagement and operation of all the modes of the PESA Radar, such as Track While Scan, Discrete Track, Close Combat modes and Attack mode. The Antenna Simulation Module (103) simulates the operation of the Passive Electronic Scanning antenna of the PESA Radar. The Target Detection Module (104) performs target data processing and simulates detection and tracking of the Radar targets. The Video Generation Module (105) generates synthetic Radar video combining Radar target data, computed missile launch cues and targets from simulated Data Link.

6. Brief Description of Drawing

FIGURE.1 is a block diagram of the PESA Radar Simulator, constructed in accordance with the present invention for simulation of Radar functionalities of the advanced fighter aircraft.

7. Description of the Invention

A Computer based approach is employed in the present invention, for simulation of PESA Radar of the advanced fighter aircraft, instead of incorporating actual hardware components of the Radar. The present invention simulates the electronic beam sweep in azimuth (horizontal) and elevation (vertical) direction, detection of target based on strength of the echo considering jamming noise and establishment of the discrete track on the targets.

The present invention is developed in five distinct simulation modules, such as User Input module (101), Mode Management module (102), Antenna Simulation module (103), Target Detection module (104) and Display Generation module (105).
The User Input module (101) provides interface with cockpit and other sub-systems of the Air Combat Simulator through Ethernet link. The module receives the pilot's control for Radar, such as switch press in control stick, throttle and bezel switches of the Multi Function Display from the cockpit. The User Input module (101) receives parent aircraft's navigation data, such as, velocity, position, attitude etc. from flight simulation of the parent fighter aircraft. The module receives environment data, such as flight data of other aircrafts and jamming noise in the combat scenario in real time from the central data server of the Air Combat Simulator System. The present invention uses these data to simulate the target echo and determine strength of the echo.

The Mode Management module (102) of the present invention reproduces the functionalities of the Radar Data Processor unit of the actual Radar and performs engagement of the Radar modes based on pilot's selection in the cockpit similar to actual Radar. The present invention simulates all the operational modes of the PESA Fire Control Radar of the advanced fighter aircraft, such as Track While Scan mode, Discrete Track mode, Symmetric Close Combat mode, HUD Close Combat mode, Optical Close Combat mode and Attack mode. The Mode Management module (102) also determines scan volume in azimuth and elevation, scan pattern and the scan range for Radar operation based on mode of operation and the pilot's controls from the cockpit.

The Antenna Simulation module (103) simulates the PESA antenna operation. The module determines the electronic beam sweeping pattern based on parameters determined by Mode Management modules (102) and simulates the electronic beam sweeping functionality. The module simulates electronically fast beam switching between discrete track targets and the pre-defined scan pattern to establish and maintain multiple discrete tracks, while performing Radar scan in pre-defined scan pattern. The antenna simulation also includes complex combination of both electronic beam sweeping and mechanical antenna steering of the PESA Radar of advanced fighter aircraft. PESA antenna operation in Track While Scan mode, Discrete Track Mode, Attack mode, Close Combat Modes including optical Close combat mode are achieved in this module.

The Target Detection module (104) simulates detection of the target echo, target data processing, and establishment of track on targets. In the present method a simplified approach is adapted for target data processing to reduce the need for separate signal processing hardware unit. The target detection, acquisition and tracking are achieved in same PESA Radar simulator computer without separate signal processing unit to make the simulator more cost effective while reproducing the actual Radar performance. The present invention receives environment data, such as flight data of other aircrafts in the combat simulator and jamming noise from Air Combat Simulator system in real time.

The Target Detection module (104) determines the strength of the echo based on targets parameters, such as Radar Cross Section (RCS), range, jamming power etc. Detection, acquisition and tracking of the targets are achieved in the Target Detection module based on the Radar and antenna parameters determined in the Mode Management module (102) and Antenna Simulation module (103) respectively. In the present method, the Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) of the targets, such as, Jamming and employment of flare are also considered in detection and tracking of the targets to provide close simulation of actual performance of the Radar.

The Radar Display Generation module (105) generates synthetic digital video similar to that of actual Radar. The generated Radar output video is displayed on the Multi Function Display (MFD) and Head Up Display (HUD) in the cockpit of the Air Combat Simulator.

This module receives Radar mode and operational parameters from Mode Management module (102); antenna parameters from Antenna Simulation Module (103) and target parameters from Target Detection Module (104), aircraft navigation parameters and missile pre flight and in-flight simulation data from Use Input module (101). The module computes and generates different missile release cue for the pilot based on received missile simulation data. The present invention simulates data-link input for Data link target. The module combines Radar simulation data, computed missile cues, Data link targets and parent aircraft's navigation data in a single synthetic video output similar to that of the actual Fire Control Radar.

The present invention is integrated with the Flight simulator of the advance fighter aircraft in the Air Combat Simulator system and provides a complete mission simulation of the fighter aircraft with operational PESA Fire control Radar. The system is used for combat training on fighter aircraft, equipped with PESA Radar in the Air Combat Simulator system.

CLAIMS

We claim

1. The method and system for simulation of Passive Electronic Scanned Array (PESA) Radar for use in the Air Combat Flight Simulator comprising User Input Module (101), Mode Management Module (102), Antenna Simulation Module (103), Target Detection Module (104) and Video generation Module (105).

2. The method and system of claiml, where in the User Input Module (101) provides interface with Air Combat Simulator System including the cockpit controls of the simulator.

3. The method and system of claiml, where in the Mode Management Module (102) provides automatic or manual engagement of Track While Scan mode, Discrete Track mode, Air Combat Modes and Attack mode of the PESA Radar and determines the scan pattern and scan volume based on engaged mode and the pilot selection in cockpit.

4. The method and system of claiml, where in the Antenna Simulation Module (103) simulates Passive Electronic Scanning Antenna operation and combines simulation of electronic fast beam switching between discrete track targets and the pre defined scan pattern for fixed antenna position and mechanical steering of the antenna for changing the antenna position in azimuth.

5. The method and system of claiml, where in the Target Detection Module (104), performs target data processing and simulates Discrete Track mode, simultaneous Attack (Single Target Continuous Track) mode and Track While Scan mode; by acquiring target within simulated beam, taking consideration of jamming noise, creating and keeping track record of target data, switching simulated beam to the discrete track targets at high refresh rate and acquiring position, velocity and angle data of the targets.

6. The method and system of claiml, where in the Video generation Module (105) generates digital synthetic video combining the Radar target data, computed Missile launch cues, parent aircraft's navigation data and target data from simulated Data Link.