Multistatic Passive Radar for ATM Operations: A Performance Comparison between LDACS, DAB, and DVB-T

Abstract

The modernization of the Air Traffic Management (ATM) needs to accommodate traffic growth and increase the resilience and interoperability of Communication, Navigation, and Surveillance (CNS) infrastructure in Europe. While conventional primary radars face decommissioning due to high costs, secondary systems such as Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) are increasingly vulnerable to spectrum congestion and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) interference. This paper further advances the research addressing the LDACS-SUR approach, a multistatic passive radar system that leverages the forthcoming L-band Digital Aeronautical Communication System (LDACS) signals as signals of opportunity for aircraft surveillance. In this work, an initial evaluation of the LDACS-SUR performance in a relevant operational scenario is performed and compared to the performance of more established broadcast illuminators of opportunity for surveillance purposes, specifically Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB) and Digital Video Broadcasting - Terrestrial (DVB-T). Simulation results indicate that the LDACS-SUR performance is comparable to that of DVB-T and DAB. Accounting also for the advantages that LDACS-SUR brings as a result of employing dedicated aeronautical communication signals, helps to conclude that LDACS-SUR provides a more viable path for safety-critical ATM applications due to its integration within the aeronautical CNS framework.