The Dual Band Radar (DBR) is the first radar system in the U.S. Navy fleet capable of simultaneously operating over two frequency ranges (S-band and X-band), coordinated by a single resource manager. It combines the functionality of the X-band AN/SPY-3 Multifunction Radar and the S-band Volume Surveillance Radar (VSR) to provide an unprecedented level of performance and capability to detect and track hostile targets.
AN/SPY-3, operating at X-band with high-accuracy, narrow beam width and wide frequency bandwidth, provides superior coverage and effective discrimination of low-altitude targets. It also provides target illumination and uplink/downlink capabilities for SM-2 and Evolved SeaSparrow missiles. Using S-band, VSR delivers effective, all-weather search capabilities via its high-power aperture, and narrow beam width, enabling it to accurately resolve and track targets.
Frequency Diversity and Resource Sharing
Many search and track functions, such as cued acquisition and precision track (providing high update rate, fire control quality data) can be allocated to either or both frequencies, automatically or through command and control direction.
Environmental phenomena diversely affect the SPY-3 andVSR radars, and the DBR’s ability to utilize a multitude of frequencies in the two different operating bands dramatically mitigates these effects. The separate band radar arrays provide extensive search, track and multiple missile illumination capacity, which is essential in support of multi-target raid engagements.
Active, electronically steered, phased-array radar systems eliminate rotating antennas, which enhances reliability. DBR further enhances reliability via multilevel redundancy to ensure continuous operation in the event of component failure. DBR can operate 24 hours a day, seven days week during extended missions with an operational availability of greater than 95 percent.
Ease of Maintenance
With a robust fault detection/fault isolation system, DBR automatically determines the need for maintenance. The design is highly modular, facilitating repair with minimum downtime. Rear access is provided to all antenna components, facilitating servicing from inside the ship. The complete six-face DBR was designed to minimize the amount of corrective and preventative maintenance with minimal mean time to repair in support of the high system operational availability.
DBR requires no dedicated operator or manned display consoles, eliminating reaction time and potential human errors associated with manual operation. Its tactical operations are directed by command and control-level personnel through the Ship Self Defense System (SSDS), an open-architecture solution that integrates all of the ship’s systems through a single enterprise network.
Open Architecture Solution for Naval Radar
DBR uses commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technology for signal and data processing. All DBR software has been designed using object-oriented techniques for long-term software maintainability. DBR is also fully inter-operable with the SSDS. Its open-architecture and COTS technology provide a DBR solution that is both affordable and readily upgradeable as new technologies or operational needs arise.