TRIMODE LADAR RADAR TRANSPONDER SYSTEMS FOR TRACKING LONG-RANGE COOPERATIVE TARGETS/

Detection and tracking of cooperative airborne targets are very import ant for military and also for civilian purposes. Previous research has shown that detection and tracking LASER offer high precision but thei r operation range is limited to less than 40 km even in good visibilit y propagation conditions. For long operation ranges, high power and bu lky RADAR are required which can be significantly reduced by using act ive transponders on the cooperative target. A trimode LADAR/RADAR/Tran sponder system is investigated providing optimum performances. A L ban d Radar with active transponder is operated for ail weather long range s up to Low Earth Orbit satellites. The L mode is switched to a Mm wav e mode RADAR for operation distances lower than 350 km and to an accur ate LASER mode for the final tracking steps.