Operational Requirements - An AEW Controller Viewpoint
The concept of airborne early warning (AEW) is straightforward. AEW is a method that force commanders can use to extend their 'eyes' to gain a more complete and extended picture of the theater of battle. The majority of sensors employed by force commanders to assess the overall situation are 'line-of-sight' type sensors. This means that the sensors will see in approximately straight lines (with a slight bending due to atmospheric refraction) out to their maximum effective range. The curvature of the earth presents a significant limitation to ground-based, line-of-sight sensors, as shown in Figure 2.1. Also depicted in Figure 2.1 is an AEW platform that extends the available line-of-sight sensor coverage for the detection of threats that would otherwise be masked by the curvature of the earth. Table 1.1 (Chapter 1) includes numerical examples of line-of-sight radar range versus the radar and target heights. The advantages of increased platform height for extending the maximum detection range, especially for low-altitude targets, are evident.
Operational Requirements - An AEW Controller Viewpoint, Page 1 of 2
< Previous page Next page > /docserver/preview/fulltext/books/ra/sbra002e/SBRA002E_ch2-1.gif /docserver/preview/fulltext/books/ra/sbra002e/SBRA002E_ch2-2.gif