MATHEMATICAL MODELS OF THE RADAR SIGNAL REFLECTED FROM A HELICOPTER MAIN ROTOR IN APPLICATION TO INVERSE SYNTHESIS OF ANTENNA APERTURE

Introduction. The basis for solving the problem of aircraft recognition is the formation of radar portraits, reflecting the constructive features of aerial vehicles. Portraits, which are radar images of the propellers of aerial vehicles, have high informativeness. These images allow us to distinguish the number and relative position of the propeller blades, as well as the direction of its rotation. The basis for obtaining such images are mathematical models of reflected signals.
Objective. The aim of this paper is to develop mathematical models of the radar signal reflected from the helicopter main rotor applied to inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR).
Methods and materials. ISAR processing is used to produce a radar image of a propeller in a radar with a monochromatic probing signal. The propeller blades in the models are approximated by different geometric shapes. The models used to describe the reflection from the propellers of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft have significant differences. In the process of moving each blade of the helicopter main rotor makes characteristic movements (flapping, dragging, feathering), as well as bends in a vertical plane. Such movements and bendings of the blades are influence the phase of the signal reflected from the main rotor. It is necessary to take the phase change of the reflected signal into account as accurately as possible when developing an ISAR algorithm for imaging the main rotor.
Results. We found that in the centimeter wavelength range the mathematical model of the signal reflected from the helicopter main rotor as a system of blades is most accurately described by representing each blade with a set of isotropic reflectors located on the main rotor’s blade leading and trailing edges. Taking into account the flapping movements and curved shapes of the blades in the model allows you to get as close as possible to the features of the real signal.
Conclusion. The developed model which takes into account the flapping movements and bends of the helicopter main rotor blades can be used to improve the ISAR algorithms providing the radar imaging of aerial vehicles.

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