System and method for verifying the radar signature of an aircraft

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The invention is a method and system for determining the radar signature of a pair of aircraft in flight.
In detail, the system includes a radar system, having a transmitter and receiver, located in the leading and trailing edge of the wing at the wing tip of the aircraft, such that when flying the aircraft in formation with one aircraft behind and to one side of the other aircraft, each aircraft can illuminate the other and determine if signature deficiencies are present.
Preferably the radar system is a frequency modulated continuous wave radar system.
A computer coupled to the radar systems for receiving output signals therefrom and the computer is programmed to compare the output signals from the radar system and to compare these output signals to reference signals and to provide a resultant signal indicative of the difference thereof.
A global position system and in-flight air data links are used for determining the positional relationship of the aircraft during measurement of radar signature.
The method of determining the radar signature of first and second aircraft in flight includes the steps of: 1) flying the first aircraft in formation such that the first aircraft is behind the second aircraft; 2) illuminating the second aircraft with the antenna in the leading edge of the wing tip of the first aircraft; 3) illuminating the first aircraft with the antenna in the trailing edge of the wing tip of the second aircraft; and 4) determining the radar variation of the first and second aircraft based on returned radar signals from the radar system in both aircraft.
The method further includes the steps of: 5) reversing the positions of the first and second aircraft such that the second aircraft is behind the first aircraft; 6) illuminating the first aircraft with the antenna mounted in the leading edge of the wing tip of the second aircraft; 7) illuminating the second aircraft with the antenna mounted the trailing edge of the wing tip in the first aircraft; and 8) determining the radar signature of the first and second aircraft based on returned radar signals from the radar system in both aircraft