M.V. Rodin1

1 Bauman Moscow State Technical University (Moscow, Russia)

1 mvrodin@bmstu.ru

Radars are an effective means of information support in solving problems of monitoring the state of objects and events in the surrounding space. A critical component of the radar is the transmitter. The efficiency of the entire radar depends largely on the structure, characteristics and functionality of the transmitter. In this regard, many new-generation radars contain active electronically scanned arrays (AESA), mostly fully semiconductor.

There is a significant number of studies, the results of which link the achievement of high efficiency of advanced AESA radars, in particular, with the dynamic control of the radar signals power, and hence the receive-transmit modules output power. Different methods are used to adjust the receive-transmit modules output power. Among them, the most preferred is the power supply voltage control of the transmitter power amplifier. However, as noted in the article, this causes the complexity of the transmitter due to the introduction of controlled power supplies into its composition and, as a consequence, the need to ensure the required speed of adjustment of their output voltage.

The article provides basic information about the use of controlled power supplies as part of AESA radar transmitters. The well-known schemes of such power supplies, the principles of their functioning are presented and systematized, as well as the ways of their further development are analyzed, taking into account the increased requirements for the radar efficiency. Special attention is paid to ways to increase the speed of voltage control at the output of the power supply. It is shown that the most promising are controlled two-stage power supplies. In addition to the energy storage charger, they contain voltage regulators between the energy storage and the power amplifier.

The improvement of the power supplies considered in the article should go in the direction of finding technical solutions aimed at reducing output voltage ripples and increasing their energy efficiency. The industrial development of new power supplies characterized by high values of specific energy and weight-size parameters will make it possible to make a serious breakthrough in AESA technology.

The article is of an overview nature and is intended primarily for engineers developing radar transmitters with output power control.

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