ballistic missile defense radar

Ballistic missile defense (BMD) radar systems are large, sophisticated radars designed to detect and track ballistic missiles and satellites. These systems are significantly larger than aircraft detection radars due to the longer ranges and smaller radar echoes from space targets, requiring maximum ranges of 2,000 to 3,000 nautical miles. BMD radars can transmit power from several hundred kilowatts to over a megawatt, about 100 times more than aircraft detection radars.1

These radars use electronically scanned phased-array antennas, which can steer the radar beam without moving large mechanical parts. They operate at lower frequencies, typically between 420–450 MHz and 1,215–1,400 MHz. A key challenge for BMD radars is distinguishing actual warheads from confusion targets like decoys and chaff, which requires measuring the velocity of objects to identify lighter ones that decelerate faster due to atmospheric drag.12