Russian defense enterprises intend to develop a new type of radar systems based on microwave radiation (UHF), the press service of the state corporation "Rostec" reports.

These products are designed to facilitate the landing of helicopters in poor visibility conditions and when landing in unmanned mode.

“Microwave radiation will make it possible to form a detailed radar image of the external environment even in difficult weather conditions.

The system also provides for timely warning of the pilot about threats in poor visibility conditions.

The new radar complexes will be equipped with the equipment of the Russian Helicopters holding, says the Rostec website.

The development of radars will be carried out by the Moscow scientific and production enterprise Salyut (part of the Ruselectronics holding) and the National Center for Helicopter Engineering named after M.L.

Mil and N.I.

Kamov.

The companies have already agreed on long-term cooperation in equipping helicopters with new-generation complexes.

As the general director of Salyut, Alexander Bushuev, said, non-standard circuitry solutions and innovative methods of digital signal processing will be implemented in the radars.

This will make it possible to reduce the size of products for use, including on "small-sized and unmanned helicopters."

“The expertise of our enterprise in the field of microwave electronics will allow us to create an advanced radar complex based on microwave radiation.

The new equipment will simplify the control of helicopters and will be cheaper than the optical systems used today on military helicopters, ”the press service of Rostec quotes Bushuev.

Pointing difficulties

From the point of view of experts, new microwave radars will be relevant mainly for solving the problem of safe landing of an aircraft in difficult weather conditions with almost complete absence of visibility. 

As stated in the materials of Rostec, the landing approach is the most critical part of the flight, which is performed using a variety of technical devices and through visual contact with the earth's surface.

However, due to weather conditions, the pilot is far from always able to make out the runway of the airfield or the helipad.

To date, the most common method of landing aircraft in the absence of visual contact with the landing area is the use of an Instrument landing system (ILS).

Such a complex consists of two radio beacons.

The course beacon allows you to control the position of the aircraft relative to the runway axis, the glide path provides guidance of the aircraft in the vertical plane.

The aircraft receiving equipment processes the incoming radio signals and calculates the optimal landing trajectory.

  • Graphical representation of the operation of the laser course-glide path system

  • © Rostec

One of the variants of the ILS, which is also now used in aviation, is the laser course and glide system.

The Rostec website reports that when using it, the pilot sees the laser beam as a clear straight line against the background of the surrounding airspace.

Powerful spectral brightness allows the laser beacon to be seen in fog, rain and snow.

However, all of the above landing methods have certain disadvantages.

For example, the laser version of the ILS unmasks the airfield, which is critically important for the military, and the radio beacon course-glide path system requires serious protection against jamming and intercepting radio signals, analysts say.

Microwave radiation is already being used in the Microwave landing system (MLS).

It can be used alone or as an addition to other systems, including ILS.

This point of view is shared by the Honored Pilot of the Russian Federation, Candidate of Technical Sciences Vladimir Popov.

According to experts, MLS has a number of significant advantages over the course-glide path system, while performing the same functions.

In particular, the microwave system allows an aircraft to approach landing from wider areas of the airspace, is characterized by high noise immunity and data transmission accuracy.

As specified in "Rostec", at present microwave technologies are widely used in the manufacture of radio altimeters - sets of electronic equipment with an antenna located on the belly of an aircraft. 

“In the cockpit, only an indicator is displayed on the dashboard, which shows the height, and there is usually a warning system about a dangerous height.

That is, the radio altimeter can be part of a set of ground collision avoidance systems.

In addition, it significantly increases the ability to automate the planting process, "- reported in the materials of Rostec.

  • Russian helicopter with microwave equipment

  • © Anton Tushin / Rostec

As Vladimir Popov explained, the microwave landing system is considered an extremely promising area of ​​engineering.

According to him, microwave devices have a short wavelength, which makes it possible to determine the distance to objects with high accuracy. 

“Microwave radiation has a number of significant advantages.

It is important to note, however, that you cannot rely solely on microwave radars.

They are necessary in some cases, for example, in the absence of visibility.

In general, it is much more efficient to use all landing systems in the complex - course-glide path, satellite, optical-electronic, light or radio direction finding.

Actually, this is what happens in our aviation, ”Popov explained. 

"Positive step"

According to the information posted on the website of the RTI concern, now in Russia microwave technologies are used in the navy for the secure exchange of data between ships, submarines and helicopter radio-electronic means.

In particular, by means of a microwave channel, the rotorcraft transmits telecode messages to naval platforms, "containing the characteristics of the observed targets in the conditions of enemy electronic countermeasures."

According to experts, UAVs can perform similar functions.

The RTI concern considers the advantages of the microwave channel to be noise immunity, high reliability of received messages and control signals, coding of broadband communication systems, programmable signal processing.

The range of such information exchange is 250 km, the mass of the onboard equipment manufactured by the enterprise is 17.5 kg.

As Vladimir Popov notes, microwave technologies have enormous potential, but it is difficult to fully realize it due to the negative impact of radiation on humans and the environment. 

“Microwave radiation has a very high pulse power.

Therefore, it must be used pointwise, with the understanding that in a specific situation it will not harm people, the biological world and will not damage technical devices.

At the same time, I think our engineers are working hard to reduce the level of harmful effects, ”Popov said. 

A similar point of view is shared by military expert Yuri Knutov.

According to him, the negative effect of microwave stations limits the widespread use of microwave technologies in the defense and civil sectors.

However, the issues of ecology and health in the future can be solved taking into account the development of means of protection against radiation, the analyst believes. 

“The project of Russian engineers to create microwave radars is absolutely justified.

Unlike traditional radar devices, such devices are less error-prone and more compact, so they can be mounted on UAVs.

This is a positive step that will simplify navigation and the landing process, ”Knutov emphasized.