| Digital simulations of radar systems are becoming commonplace in today's communications workplace. These simulations vary in complexity from merely a glorified radar range equation to a highly detailed emulation of the actual hardware components. The two most influential factors in the simulation design stage are fidelity and runtime. Analysts need the necessary fidelity to accurately simulate the radar system for their specific application, yet they also desire to keep execution time to a minimum. When the fidelity increases, the execution time also increases. Therefore, a compromise needs to be met where sufficient fidelity is designed into the model while the runtime is kept at a reasonable rate. This paper will demonstrate that, for many radar applications, an analytic level model allows sufficient design detail and still gives near "real time" execution. Examples are provided of design methodology, implementation, and testing for an analytic level phased array, pulsed-Doppler radar. Comparisons of simulation data with hardware data will prove that analytic level models can provide sufficient fidelity while still furnishing an acceptable runtime. Computer modeling will be provided using the Joint Modeling and Simulation System (JMASS) architecture. |
