Intro
Effective C-UAS relies on early detection, accurate situational awareness combined with information regarding range, classification and declared intent all seamlessly passed to the operator for action. This demands that all system sensors and effectors are working together and reporting the required correct data for timely and confident decision making.
A key component of a C-UAS system is the Radar. With an ability to Detect, Track, and Classify, it’s important to select a radar solution that is capable of both delivering against end user needs and integration into the wider system infrastructure.
To help mitigate risks, the more advanced C-UAS radars are equipped for the drone problem out of the box but require significant post-sale integration for seamless operation. Ultimately, these radars are great, but they do rely on an integrator to make them work properly. So, what can you keep in mind at the point of integration to make the most of your investment?
Location, Alignment, Synchronisation
A state-of-the-art C-UAS system can extract precise information for evidential purposes. Next generation technology can also provide full spectrum air defence – from long range aircraft to close vicinity drones, but if the equipment within the system isn’t installed effectively, it may fail against objectives, however much you’ve invested.
The first stage is to determine the correct geographic location/placement of the equipment. Surveying where it is going and where it needs to be for it to be fully effective. There is no point trying to hide it away if in by doing so its coverage and range are compromised. And as location can affect sensitivity, full site surveys, power requirements, and network requirements should be considered.
In addition, some passive elements of detection, such as the RF/DF (radio frequency direction finding) rely on separation and triangulation to locate the UAV by scanning a wide range of frequencies to locate the presence and bearing of a UAV. Positioning the detection nodes at least 1.5 km apart will also provide a far more accurate point at which they intersect to be able to decipher bearing and range.
The sensors and effectors then need to be synchronised and in the right place for integrating. Standardisation and orientation / alignment is necessary for them to report accurate data back to the user – aligned, synchronised and time stamped.
Automation of Sensors and 3D Mapping
You’d be surprised how often sensors are set up but not tested for seamless automation, but it’s crucial to make sure the software is integrated, and that all sensors are working correctly. On their own they will just ‘report’, so they need to be brought together in a unified way. And even with the sensors aligned, integrated, and automated, how the data is received by the operator needs to be considered. We ultimately need to support a distracted user and reduce operator burden.
For example, the new EchoShield radar from Echodyne includes the four primary data elements (azimuth, elevation, range, velocity) with extraordinary accuracy (<0.5 degrees in both azimuth and elevation). Operating in Search While Track mode, EchoShield tracks hundreds of targets, delivering precise airspace coordinates at a high data rate (10 Hz) for smooth optical tracking and targeting of effector systems.
Accessing this data from the various sensors and taking it beyond just reporting without having to visit different screens is a must. Being able to display all the data being reported into a single, easy to use screen which includes a 3D map is incredibly useful and preferably in a way that can also be mobile. This enables them to pinpoint with accuracy what and where the target is for improved decision making and speedy action.
Integrating with a Legacy System / Prevention of Security Compromise
It’s also necessary to consider whether the user already has an existing systems or even a complete Battle Management System into which this needs to be integrated, as this may cause several security concerns. For example, it is possible that integrating a new sensor component may compromise the integrity of a network and increase the risk of sophisticated hacking. What are the cyber security restraints for example?
This has nothing to do with any particular sensor but the process of integration itself. Before integration, the network needs to be tested for robustness. Working with an experienced integrator can help here.
Deployment, Operation and Update
As with a lot of technology, sensors often have software updates available. It is imperative to make sure there is a contract in place to enable these updates are made throughout their lifetime for improvement and optimum performance.
In addition, it’s human nature that teams experience ‘skill fade’ – where people get blasé from working with equipment over time. To prevent this, and to also keep skills fresh, Chess Dynamics includes an in-built simulator for weekly drills and assessment to practice what will be required in a real-time situation.
Getting the Most from your Sensors
A great system includes great components, but a great component does not create a great system. It’s the system the customer buys and so it’s important to make sure it’s the best it can be.
Leo McCloskey, VP of Marketing at Echodyne comments, ‘We often see C2 systems that are built on the least amount of integration required, organized for specific sensors and releases. Chess Dynamics has built an active C2 that integrates and manages the component sensor lifecycle. Software-defined radars, such as Echodyne’s, require a steady diet of upgrades for continuous improvement and operation, and Chess delivers this for its customers.”
Conclusion
As we look at current trends, the C-UAS system needs to be both highly accurate and increasingly mobile. The C-UAS system may require several fixed sensor installations and then have any gaps filled by vehicles that may rotate around an area of security. Quick to deploy capability for situations such as needing to move forward in a battlefield or cover a high-profile security event with additional surveillance comes to mind here.
If you are considering a mobile C-UAS that is easily moveable and networked, the robustness of the system needs to be tested first. Mobility introduces a host of challenges for systems and sensors operating in cooperative networks, in addition to stark differences in performance on paved and unpaved surfaces and truly off road. The equipment also needs to be capable of rapid updates to the map – and in a way that isn’t draining the battery on your vehicle. And the C2 needs to securely and flexibly manage it all.