Tracking Radar: Basics, Operation, and Types

This page covers the basics of tracking radar, including its operation and different types. A tracking radar detects a target, determines its location, and predicts its trajectory path.

Tracking Radar Operation

Figure 1 shows a block diagram of a simple tracking radar.

• As shown, the tracking operation in the radar relies heavily on angular information.
• A very narrow antenna beam is used, allowing it to track only one target at a time. This is often achieved using range gating and Doppler filtering.
• Range tracking is implemented using a timing control unit.
• Doppler tracking is implemented using a Doppler gating unit.
• The angle error signal is fed into a servo motor-based control system.
• This servo system steers the antenna based on the error input, ensuring continuous tracking of the target.

Types of Tracking Radar

Here’s a list of common tracking radar types:

• STT Radar (Single Target Tracking Radar)
• ADT Radar (Automatic Detection and Tracking Radar)
• TWS Radar (Track While Scan Radar)
• Angle Tracking Radar
• Phased Array Tracking Radar
• Monopulse Tracking Radar