Radar with side aiming
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Radar with aiming latérale*
A radar with side aiming is as its name indicates it a radar whose antenna is pointed latéalement compared to its carrier. The term angloaméricain equivalent is “side-looking airbone radar” (SLAR).
In practice this term indicates radars embarked imageurs which explore in flight a zone shifted laterally compared to the trace of the vehicle and for which the azimuth resolution is directly related to the real opening of the antenna used. The improvement of the azimuth resolution for such systems necessarily passes by the reduction in the azimuth opening of the antenna and an equivalent way by an increase of dimensions of the antenna.
Systems SLAR are thus different from the systems of Radar to synthesis of opening which in practice are also with aiming side but for which the azimuth resolution is obtained by digital processing of the data received in order to numerically refine the lobe of antenna in the azimuth direction.