Design aspects of the experimental SAR/MTI system PAMIR

The radar frontend of the PAMIR SAR/MTI imaging radar, an experimental active phased array system with a very high simultaneous bandwidth of 1.82 GHz in X-band and the mechanical properties of the pod are described. The broadband beamforming together with azimuth wide scan capabilities (gesplusmn 45deg@1.82 GHz bandwidth of the 4.25 m antenna array) ask for the implementation of switchable true time delay networks with time increments equivalent to a fraction of a wavelength. Vibration properties of the pod and its influence on the radiation pattern have been analysed. PAMIR serves as ideal airborne platform for future broadband SAR/MTI research activities, for example in the area of extended SAR modes like IfSAR with very high resolution (10 times 10 cm), ISAR imaging of ground moving targets, multichannel scan-MTI with STAP and ECCM for SAR and MTI