3 ms·
AESA radars very much do have track and search mode, it’s just not mechanically controlled so they can track more targets however once you lock on a target(s) t
by dogma1138 5y ago
AESA radars very much do have track and search mode, it’s just not mechanically controlled so they can track more targets however once you lock on a target(s) the beams are still focused on them which is why you still have a limit and that limit is dependent on the size of the target you track as well as it’s range and not just the radar itself.
An AESA radar that can track up to 5 targets for example might still be limited to a single target with a low RCS because more of the array has to be focused on it.
- the__alchemist 5y agoAll valid points. In practice for non-stealth fighter-size targets, (Depending on the software/UI) you can park the radar in a general-purpose mode, and get decent-quality tracks for many contacts. Turning them into higher-quality "weapons-quality" tracks (eg for shooting) taxes the radar more. The more you ask of the radar (More wpns-quality tracks, SAR mapping etc), the poorer its performance.