Agilent Technologies introduces modeling, verification platform for radar, electronic warfare

SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 19, 2014 – Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced that the Agilent EEsof EDA W1905 radar model library has been enhanced to simulate moving 3-D radar scenarios as well as phased-array adaptive beamforming.

The new modeling capability saves design verification cost and accelerates deployment for radar system engineers. It also reduces dependence on expensive field testing and dedicated hardware emulators by realistically rendering radar and electronic warfare environments economically throughout the R&D process, using commercial design software and test equipment. 

The W1905 radar model library is available as a simulation option to SystemVue, Agilent’s premier platform for electronic system-level design. The enhancements add inertial modeling “layers” above the baseband radar signal processing references. They account for the 3-D positions, velocities, rotations and beamforming directions of each transmitter, receiver and target, allowing modelers to create and script meaningful airborne, shipborne and multi-static scenarios or environments. Together with models for dynamically steerable antenna arrays and adaptive digital beamforming, the effectiveness of radar architectures and counter-measures can be quickly assessed, while also accounting for clutter, jammers, interference and RF analog limitations.

The choice of SystemVue as an integrated “system-level cockpit” connects radar architects to other critical R&D domains, including:

• baseband algorithm design interfaces in floating-point math, C++, or HDL; 

• accurate RF models from Agilent’s Advanced Design System (ADS) and EMPro 3-D EDA software; 

• industry-leading wideband test and measurement equipment, such as Agilent’s M8190A arbitrary waveform generator and M9703A 8-channel digitizer, to generate and capture simulated waveforms for hardware validation, and;

• optional links to external applications, such as the STK software from Analytical Graphics, Inc.

By connecting the new realistic scenarios with other best-in-class technology references, SystemVue allows radar system architects to affordably, validate radar and electronic warfare architectures using commercial tools, while also leveraging their own secure IP.

“Radar architects and verifiers are embracing the versatility of proven, system-level commercial approaches in order to reduce project overhead,” said Daren McClearnon, electronic system level segment lead for Agilent. “Reconfigurable, open tools like SystemVue streamline the R&D lifecycle and reduce dependence on specialized verification assets.”

SystemVue and its updated W1905 radar library will be demonstrated at IEEE RadarCon 2014, May 20-22 in Cincinnati, Ohio. SystemVue with its updated W1905 radar library will also be shown at IMS 2014/IEEE MTT-S (Booth 1133), June 1-6 in Tampa, Florida. 

U.S. Pricing and Availability

Agilent’s W1905 radar model library, part of SystemVue 2013.08 Service Pack 1, is available for download at www.agilent.com/find/eesof-systemvue-latest-downloads. A routine update to the W1905 library is expected in early June. Pricing for the SystemVue environment starts at approximately $17,687. A free, 30-day evaluation copy of SystemVue is available at www.agilent.com/find/eesof-systemvue-evaluation. An image of SystemVue 2013.08 SP1 with its radar library is available at www.agilent.com/find/SystemVueRadar_images.