KULLIYYAH OF ENGINEERING

END-OF-SEMESTER EXAMINATION
SEMESTER 1, 2016/2017 SESSION

Programme

: Communication Engineering

Level of Study

: UG 2

Time

: 2.30 pm -5.30 pm

Date

: 27/12/16

Duration

: 3 Hours

Course Code

: ECE 4346

Section(s)

:1

Course Title

: Selected Topic in Communication Eng. (Introduction to Radar Systems)

This Question Paper Consists of 4 (Four) Printed Pages (Including Cover Page) with 5 (Five)
Questions.

INSTRUCTION(S) TO CANDIDATES
DO NOT OPEN UNTIL YOU ARE ASKED TO DO SO

Total mark of this examination is 100.

This examination is worth 40 % of the total course assessment.
Answer ALL QUESTIONS )
Only approved calculator with KoE approved sticker is allowed (non-programmable and nongraphical).
Marks assigned to each question are listed in the margin.

Any forms of cheating or attempt to cheat is a serious offence which may lead to
dismissal.
All electronics gadgets are prohibited in the exam hall / venue.
(e.g. mobile / smart phones, smart watches, and smart glasses)

QUESTION 1
a) Sketch and label a typical air defence radar configuration during deployment
consisting of any 8 (eight) components. (4M)

.
b) Draw and label the radar block diagram consisting of any 10 (ten) components.(5M)

c) Outline the function of any 6 (six) components of a radar

1. ADC- convert analog signals to digital signal
2. Waveform generator-generate signal to be sent to the antenna based on determined
parameter
3. Doppler Processing - Process Doppler shifts and estimates target velocity
4. Detection Performs target identification and detection. Differentiates between noise and
target
5. Tracking& parameter estimation performs target tracking and determine target
characteristic such as feature,size,orientation etc
6. Display-Display the calculated parameters onto a screen for radar operator to observe

d) Draw the map of Malaysia and pinpoint 5 (five) locations of the Royal Malaysian
Air Force RMAF air defence radar installation. For each location, name place as
well as the installed radar.

TUDM Butterworth, Penang (RMAF Butterworth), Penang (Base of FA18 Hornets)

TUDM Kuantan, Pahang (RMAF Kuantan) (Base of MiG-29s)

TUDM Gong Kedak, Kelantan (RMAF Gong Kedak) (Base of Su-30MKMs)

TUDM Labuan (RMAF Labuan) (Base of BAE Hawks)

TUDM Kuala Lumpur

TUDM Subang, Selangor (RMAF Subang), Selangor

TUDM Kuching, Sarawak (RMAF Kuching)

TUDM Alor Setar, Kedah (RMAF Alor Setar) (Air Force Academy)

TUDM Ipoh, Perak (RMAF Ipoh) (Air Force School)

TUDM Bukit Lunchu Johor (RMAF Skn 323)(Control and Reporting Post)

TUDM Kinrara, Selangor (RMAF Kinrara) (School of Logistic Management; also houses a
central hospital facility)

TUDM Bukit Jugra, Selangor (RMAF Bukit Jugra) (PASKAU headquarters)

TUDM Bukit Ibam, Pahang (RMAF Skuadron 322)

QUESTION 2 (20 MARKS)

a) The Fieldguard radar for multi-launch rocket system operated by Malaysian Army is
2

expected to detect all aerial intruders with 1 m cross section at distance of 2 km. The
radar has the following parameters; operating frequency of 2.0 GHz, transmit power of 1

W, antenna with 18 dB gain, noise figure of 5 dB and bandwidth of 50 kHz. The

Boltzmann constant multiplied with absolute temperature is given as -174
dBm/Hz. Determine:
i. the received signal level.

Gain = 4 A / 2

(5)

Power density of reflected signal at the radar A= G 2/ 4

(Pt Gt Ae) / ( (4 R2)( 4 R2))

A=(63.1)(0.15x0.15)/4
=0.113

= (1)(63.1)(1)(0.113) / ((4 x 20002) (4 x 20002))

= 2.82 x 10^-15 W @ -145.5dB

ii. the signal to noise, SNR.

(5)
dB=10lo

S / N =Pt G2 2 /(4 )3 R4 k Ts g(P)

Bn L
= (1)(63.1)2(0.15)2(1)/(4 )3(2000)4(3.98x10^21)(50K)(3.16)
= 4.48
b)
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17/MAS17) was a scheduled international
passenger flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down on 17 July 2014 by a
Buk surface-to-air missile launched from Donetsk, Ukraine. Provide 2 (two) hypotheses
how the flight could have been mistakenly identified as hostile target
(4)
1. The crash occurred during the Battle. it flying directly over a war zone a dangerous area
thats hosted a number of downed military craft
2. Weather and Visibility Factor- it was very high cloudy so the mh17 ask to divert from
that cloud make it goes into unusual route and be mistaken by the Ukraine army.

3. it fly close to restricted zone (below 32000ft) which is fly at 33000ft

4.the body color of mh17 just as same as Russian aircraft.

C) Provide 3 (three) theories how on the missing Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370
managed to evade detection by air defense radars and traffic air surveillance radars on
the unfortunate day of March 8, 2014.
1. flying at low altitudes (under noise threshold)-term: terrain masking
2. hijacker might use jammer to cancel out the signal from backscatter to radar receiver
3. difficult weather conditions which had 'messed up' the sea water column which known
as sea spikes, caused them to have false alarm. (sea clutter)
4. the aircraft might be in thick cloud that masked their location ( cloud scatter)
(6)

QUESTION 3 (20 marks)

a) The pulse train diagram is shown in Figure 3(a). Calculate

Fig. 3(a)
i. the duty cycle.

(2)

ii. the average power.

(2)

iii. the pulse repetition frequency.

(2)

iv. the resolution.

(2)

v. the maximum unambiguous range.

iv) resolusion

= c / 2

resolution = (3e8)(100micro)/ 2
resolution = 15 000m

v) max. unambiguous range , Run = c/(2PRF)

Run = (3e8)/(2x1000)
Run = 150 000m

(2)

b) Explain how the French made Exocet missiles used by the Argentinian Forces during (5)
the Falkland war managed to cause massive damage to Great Britain Navy.
The main advantage of the Exocet is its low flight altitude (generally 1-2 meters above the
water). Due to this low altitude, this sea-skimming missile can often avoid detection until it
is about 6 000 meters from the target, which leaves little time for launching surface-to-air
missiles. Consequently, this missile has a good hit probability.

Anti-ship cruise missiles generally follow a sea skimming profile. This

means that the missile flies just a few meters above the water
surface. This flight profile makes the missile invisible to enemy radar
until it is just round 30 km away from the ship due to the earths
curvature. Flying low delays its detection by the enemy unless the
enemy has an airborne radar. But flying low has its disadvantages as
well. Fuel consumption is high when following a sea skimming profile.
Range at sea skimming height is 30-40% of the range at high attitude
flight.
c) Summarize 2 (two) techniques employed using chaff as countermeasure from homing
missiles.
(2)
Masking
Large cloud can shield aircraft or missiles in or near the cloud
Deception
Chaff puff can emulate a missile / aircraft and cause false detections
Packets of chaff can divert radar tracker from target

d) Outline the way to uncover targets position using Radio Direction Finding RDF (3)
technique.
RDF- technique used to determine the target location

Requires a number of transmitter in different location

Measurement obtained by the two transmitters regarding on aircraft or vehicles are

compared and calculated to determine the location

Example: Pseudo-Doppler Direction Finder

ECE 4346 Selected Topic in Comm. Eng. (Intro. to Radar Systems)

QUESTION 4 (20 marks)

a) Design an airport surveillance radar that has the capability to detect small
2

aircraft of 1 m cross section at least from 60 nmi away with typical signal-tonoise ration S/N 1.3 dB.

(14)

b) Propose with justification the best antenna design for the radar in question (a)
above.

(3)

Best antenna design:

High gain(this can be get by high frequency and larger diameter of
antenna)
Minimize system losses and system temperature (good quality of
equipment n instruments)
Increase the power transmit
These parameter results in increasing SNR which thn increasing the probability of
detection (PD) .
c) Propose with justification the most appropriate refresh rate for the radar in
question (a) above.
The antenna rotation rate: 12.8 RPM
Refresh rate = 60/12.8 = 4.6875 sec

(3)

QUESTION 5 (20 marks)

a) The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is considering to purchase a new air
defense radar designed capable of detecting targets of 2 m2 cross section and
above at range of 200 nmi. The proposed radar is expected have the following
characteristics; operating frequency at L-band (1230 MHz), antenna efficiency
of 60% and receiver minimum detectable signal 3x10-13 W. Funding is a real
constraint. The unit cost of transmitter is RM2.00 per watt of peak power and
the unit cost of antenna is RM1,000 per square meter of physical area. Assume
the cost of the receiver and other items to be RM1 Million. As the lead design
engineer, do recommend in which component to invest.

(14)

b) Explain any 3 (three) radar types typically installed on a modern maritime

warship.
1. AN/SPY-3
-Array radar used on the US zumwatt-class destroyer.
-The radar use X-band frequency(for high altitude performance)
-Used pencil beam technique for long range target
2. AN/SPY-1
-array radar used in Aegis Combat system
-radar able to perform search, tracking, and missile guidance function
simultaneously
-radar has a reduced radar horizon due to its low mounting position on the
warship
3. AN/sps-49
-2D radar on USS Abraham Lincon
-radar perform in L band frequency
-Perform long range air-search

(6)