Challenges of preparation and realization of combined field tests of passive and active radar sensors on an example APART-GAS 2019 trials

Abstract

The article reviews selected issues associated with the preparation, organization and execution of field training targeting the practical functional verification of passive sensors installed on-board various land, sea and air platforms. The APART-GAS trials combined the training of two NATO research task groups (RTG) operating within the SET Panel: SET-242 on passive radiolocation on mobile platforms (Passive Coherent Locators on Mobile Platforms) and SET-258 on multiband active and passive radars used in various military scenarios (DMPAR - Deployable Multiband Passive Active Radar Deployment and Assessment in Military Scenarios). The specificity of passive sensors, as well as the wide range of their applications resulted in numerous complications at the stage of developing and executing test scenarios conducted with the use of different aircraft types, including vertical launch rockets, water vessels and land vehicles. The article discusses successively the activities supporting the Warsaw University of Technology implemented by the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT). in the field of installing the sensors on individual platform, aircraft flight planning and their coordination in the course of the trials. AFIT performed the issues regarding the recording and imaging radiolocation data from the sensors participating in the trials and coupled within an Unclassified Radar Network (URN).