Direction of Arrival Estimation Using a Cluster of Beams in a Cone-Shaped Digital Array Radar

In this paper some potential system and processing advantages of conformal cone shaped digital array radar have been investigated, in particular in relation to potential alternative approaches for angle estimation with respect to the traditional monopulse. First of all potential benefit in terms of reduction of the number of radiating elements is shown when a conical array is considered with respect to a traditional system formed by four planar arrays, if a coverage of 360° must be assured. Secondly, having in mind an innovative digital array system where the received signals are analog to digital converted at element level and the corresponding data are possibly transferred to a central elaboration unit, an alternative approach is investigated for angular estimation. In this paper we derive the theoretical expression of the Cramer Rao Lower Bound for elevation angle estimation using a cluster of beams; we compare the limit performance of the traditional approach for angle estimation based on Sum and Difference beams with the approach based on a crowded cluster of RX beams properly spaced. The approaches show approximately equivalent performance, making the second particularly interesting for those situations where monopulse is known to experience performance degradation, as low elevation angle estimation; in this particular case an example of cluster design is shown, where the direct signal from a low altitude target must compete with a specular multipath.