Indoor RCS measurement capability at VHF in the boeing 9-77 range

摘要

This paper discusses Radar Croos Section (RCS) measurement capability at Very High Frequencies (VHF) in the Boeing 9-77 Range in Seattel, Washington. This indoor facility provides a uniques asset to the RCS measurement community. Initially operational in 1989, the 9-77 Range was upgraded in 1995 to include a VHF measurement capability. This was cieved using a 56 foot square array of 256 elements, for RCS measurements at frequencies from approximately 140 to 220 MHz, with a 40 foot quiet zone. In this paper, we discuss results from the characterization process used to verify the initial capability and ongoing operation of initial capability and ongoing operation of the RCS measurement system at VHF. We include data demonstrating the sensitivity, stability and dynamic range of the system. We also present samples of recent field probes, and background subtraction and stability measurements. A comparison is made between calculated and measured canonical target signatures.