Advanced Navigation‘s recent tech article ‘Why Inertial Navigation Systems are Vital for Mobile Radar Systems’ highlights Inertial Navigation Systems’ (INS) significance within mobile radar setups, particularly for applications requiring Assured Position, Navigation and Timing (APNT).
GNSS Vulnerabilities Expose INS Importance
Recent conflicts demonstrated Global Navigation Satellite Systems’ (GNSS) susceptibility to electronic warfare, emphasizing Inertial Navigation Systems’ criticality where GNSS signals become unreliable or unavailable. Vehicle-mounted radar systems heavily rely on INS for maintaining precise heading data, essential for accurate tracking amidst constant movement and orientation changes.
Radar and INS Synergy
Radar technology, utilizing radio waves for object detection, comes in two primary variants:
- 360-degree (imaging) radar: Continuously rotating, providing comprehensive surroundings data.
- Static radar: Fixed field-of-view, often arranged in arrays for full coverage.
Both types benefit from vehicle mounting, enabling rapid deployment and repositioning. This mobility necessitates advanced navigation and stabilization technologies, specifically INS.
INS tracks position, orientation, and velocity using motion sensors like accelerometers and gyroscopes. Operating independently from external references makes INS exceptionally reliable when GNSS faces jamming, spoofing, or multipath errors.
Unmanned Defense Applications
Mobile radar systems prove indispensable for platforms in defense scenarios, offering battlefield surveillance, target tracking, and threat detection capabilities. As drone threats escalate, these systems play crucial roles in counter-UAS operations, facilitating swift drone detection and tracking for effective countermeasure deployment.
INS-Radar Integration Process
Integrating INS with mobile radar involves precise calculations:
- Coarse alignment: Estimating true north within minutes.
- Fine alignment: Refining heading accuracy to 0.01 degrees (latitude-dependent).
Modern setups typically employ strap-down INS mounted directly on vehicle frames, continuously monitoring position and orientation. Some configurations incorporate additional INS within radar assemblies, using gimbals for enhanced stabilization and performance across diverse conditions.
High-Stakes Accuracy
INS accuracy significantly impacts mobile radar operations, especially in challenging terrains. High-performance INS rapidly recalibrates radar heading and orientation, maintaining true north accuracy and minimizing errors. This precision ensures effective target tracking and successful countermeasure coordination.
Beyond GNSS Redundancy
INS integration offers multiple benefits:
- Real-time updates: Near-instantaneous position, velocity, and orientation data.
- Superior stabilization: Gimballed INS excels at maintaining precise radar pointing.
- Electronic warfare resilience: Maintains accuracy during GNSS spoofing or jamming.
Conclusion
Integrating high-performance INS solutions into mobile radar systems proves essential for modern unmanned defense operations requiring APNT. These systems ensure precise pointing, target tracking, and effective countermeasures, even in GNSS-denied environments.
Read the full article here, or visit the Advanced Navigation website to find out more.
