Missile tracking system gets successful demo

The US Department for Operational Test and Evaluation required radar technology which could measure the trajectory and burst point of 5in and 50 calibre projectiles, fired against high speed manoeuvrable target vehicles. A scoring system mounted on the target vehicle allows training shots to be fired with an offset to provide a measure of effectiveness without destruction of the vehicle. Using its holographic radar technology, Cambridge Consultants developed the Land and Surface Target Scorer (LSTS) system, which uses receiver array panels and high speed signal processing to detect and track small projectiles in the presence of very large radar clutter. During recent trials, the LSTS detected, tracked and located the splash point of inert 5in projectiles and pinpointed the burst point of a high explosive round. In a multiple shot burst, the system tracked four shells fired at 3s intervals.