A Hybrid Detection Technique for Electro-Mechanical Scanning Radars Integrating Omnidirectional Surveillance and Sector-Specific Energy Focusing

Air surveillance radars typically operate in two distinct modes—omnidirectional surveillance and sector-specific surveillance—which are inherently incompatible in conventional designs. To overcome this limitation, this paper proposes a novel flexible detection technique for electro-mechanical scanning radars that integrates omnidirectional surveillance with sector-specific energy focusing. The operational constraints and capacity boundaries of the proposed hybrid mode are rigorously analyzed and quantified through a mathematical framework. Furthermore, UAV-based calibration flight tests are conducted to validate the feasibility of the proposed technique. Experimental results demonstrate that the hybrid mode achieves a significant detection range extension in the energy-focused sector while maintaining continuous omnidirectional coverage in other sectors. This approach therefore offers a practical and effective novel operational mode, which can significantly enhance the battlefield adaptability and detection performance of electro-mechanical scanning radars.