Trial results on bistatic passive radar using non-cooperative pulse radar as illuminator of opportunity

Abstract

The paper presents the concept of passive radar exploiting the active Air Traffic Control (ATC) radar as the source of illumination, and the primary results of the measurement campaign carried out at the DSP Laboratory of the Warsaw University of Technology. The system, built using commercial off the shelf components, was able to detect and track airliners landing at Warsaw airport. To verify the system accuracy the IFF mode S messages were recorded, providing ground truth of the observed planes.