Performance prediction of Firefinder radar using high fidelity simulation

Thales Raytheon Systems' PC Simulation (PCS) tool allows a rapid simulated evaluation of Firefinder radar performance from a personal desktop computer. Firefinder radars are designed to track hostile rocket, artillery and mortar (RAM) projectiles in order to accurately estimate weapon ground location. The Firefinder tactical code is used within PCS. This design provides a low risk path to rapid prototyping and evaluation of candidate software changes. PCS is used to evaluate candidate software changes to the Firefinder. Candidate design changes which perform well in PCS testing require minimum system level checkout before being checked into the tactical software baseline. The PCS tool contains a simulation engine which reads program control information from input data files. The PCS tool also generates and maintains simulated targets and clutter, simulates the radar signal processing function, performs Monte-Carlo “batch” processing, produces complex target trajectories internally or from an input text file and creates simulation data recording files identical in format to those created by the actual radar. This paper summarizes the capabilities of the lastest PCS.