Impact of channel number on architecture and performance of advanced processing techniques for highly channelised multichannel systems

The effect of varying the number of digitised channels on a radar systems performance is analysed through modelling several spatial processing techniques and determining the effect of varying design. Performance is measured using several metrics with scan rate, minimum detectable velocity, and robustness to jamming being key. Modelling is carried out for a number of different operational scenarios and channel architectures. Through this modelling effort the effects of varying channel number on performance in different operational environments is determined. These outputs are weighed against limitations introduced by increasing channel number (e.g. increased computational complexity). These results are used to form conclusion on what number of channels provides the best overall performance gain. In the case of the radar system model in this thesis N=32 and N=16 channels have been determined to offer the best performance whilst minimising limiting factors.