Performance-Trade-Offs in ELINT Systems

The Recent period has seen the deployment of large number of pulsed radars, seekers and other threat systems in the microwave bands. Also, newer, high duty factor or CW systems have been deployed. There is trend to long duration, low peak power signals to make them less vulnerable. But, older systems still be used, too. Therefore ELINT systems must operate when both the high power, short duration signals as well as low power long duration signals are present. From the ELINT systems point of view, there are few generic radar signal types for example, un modulated pulsed radar with high power, pulse Doppler with modest peak power, pulse compression with lower peak power, frequency agility, CW with low peak power etc. to be intercepted. The paper addresses performance trade-offs in ELINT system to address challenges involved while designing a system for ground based platforms. The paper discusses performance trade-offs in ELINT systems through qualitative approach.