Demonstration Results of the Triband, Multi-Beam Airborne Telemetry Phased Array (AirPA) System

: As the telemetry community transitions into C-band with an ever increasing number of simultaneous targets on the range, there is a strong desire to track multiple targets from a single asset in all three telemetry bands. Through the AirPA program, Raytheon has developed a tri-band, multi-target telemetry reception system which is capable of tracking targets in azimuth and elevation. During the AirPA Phase 3 test event in September 2014, the element level digital beamforming phased array was successfully demonstrated at Edwards Air Force Base in L-band, S-band, and C-band at a technology readiness level of 6. The system tracked both ground and air mobile transmitters using ARTM Tier 0 and Tier 1 modulation techniques. A total of twelve simultaneous tracking beams were demonstrated across all three telemetry bands. This paper will discuss the results of the demonstration, as well as several possible paths forward for the technology.