Flyable fiber-optic radar target generator

Airborne radar relies on Built-in-Test (BIT) for fault detection, fault isolation and system calibration. The capability of BIT is often limited by space, weight, size and cost considerations. Furthermore, the radar does not have a test target that will allow BIT to perform in flight, closed-loop functional test of the complete radar system. This paper describes a fiber-optic based radar test target unit that provides a delayed replica of the transmitted radar signal. The unit will intercept a small amount of radar-transmitted energy, delay it in the fiber, then feed it back into the radar producing a calibrated “echo” at a predetermined radar range. The unit can be installed as part of the airborne radar. The details on the design and testing of a proof-of-concept unit are also given