Multi-mode radar system having real-time ultra high resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) capability

A synthetic aperture radar providing one meter and one foot resolution of target images in real time, comprising:

• exciter/receiver means including a multi-aperture antenna array for generating and radiating wideband RF waveform signals, receiving returns of the radiated RF waveform signals, down converting the returns and generating IF signals therefrom and generating an unfocused synthetic aperture radar map from said IF signals, said map being comprised of a complex data matrix including in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) components;
• global positioning apparatus and inertial navigation apparatus;
• programmable signal processor means coupled to said exciter/receiver means for motion compensating the data of the data matrix so that the center of the map is range aligned and phase aligned in response to input signals from said global positioning system and said inertial navigation system, presumming the data of the matrix, polar reformatting the data matrix from a polar coordinate format inherent in said data to a rectangular coordinate format, autofocusing the data matrix into a focused image, processing the autofocused image and generating display signals therefrom;
• and
• display means responsive to the display signals for providing a visual display of the synthethic aperture radar map.