Optical fiber based bistatic radar

A method for operating bistatic radar system comprising steps of:

• (a) transmitting RF signals from a transmitting radar site and receiving reflections of the RF signals at a receiving radar site,
• (b) up-converting a portion of the reflected RF signals to optical signals,
• (c) sending the optical signals from one end of an optical fiber to the other,
• (d) down-converting the optical signals to RF signals at the transmitting radar site.

An radar network comprising:

• a management center which is comprised of:
• (a) command and control means for generating command and control signals and for applying them to an optical fiber RF link system;
• and
• (b) processing means for receiving and analyzing RF signals applied thereto from the optical fiber RF link system;
• one or more transmitter sites, each of which comprises means;
• (c) for receiving command and control signals from the optical fiber RF link system;
• and, in response,
• (d) for transmitting RF signals;
• (e) for applying a portion of transmitted RF signals as input to the optical fiber RF link system;
• (f) for receiving reflections of RF signals transmitted by at least one of the one or more transmitting sites;
• and
• (g) for applying the received RF signals as inputs to the optical fiber RF link system;
• one or more receiving radar sites, each of which comprises means;
• (h) for receiving command and control signals from the optical fiber RF link system;
• (i) for receiving reflections of RF signals transmitted by at least one of the one or more transmitting sites;
• and
• (j) for applying the received RF signals as inputs to the optical fiber RF link system;
• wherein the optical fiber RF link system comprises means;
• (k) for receiving RF signals applied thereto from a transmitting site or from a receiving site;
• (l) for up-converting the RF signals to optical signals;
• (m) for sending the optical signals along the fiber system;
• (n) for down-converting the optical signals back to RF signals;
• and
• (o) for applying the transferred RF signals as inputs to the processing means.