Applying auxiliary arrays for mainlobe blanking to counter mainlobe repeater jamming

Mainlobe repeater jamming exploits mainlobe gain of radar antenna and signal-processing gain to significantly disrupt the target detection performance of radar. The combination of multiple auxiliary radars to form a distributed array radar improves the radar system's angle resolution, enabling the realization of traditional spatial jamming cancellation. However, the jamming cancellation method struggle to effectively suppress multiple mainlobe repeater jamming signals when their number exceeds that of auxiliary radars, resulting in pattern distortion and subsequent loss of target energy. To address this issue, the mainlobe blanking method with auxiliary radars is proposed based on the specific characteristics of the jamming signals being distributed in multiple discontinuous peaks at the same angle. This approach leverages the superior angular resolution to accurately differentiate between target and jamming signals based on their distance-angle characteristics. Moreover, specific jamming suppression methods are employed for each jamming signal based on whether it overlaps with the target in the time domain, minimizing the loss of target energy. Furthermore, the proposed method is capable of suppressing jamming even when the target and jamming signals overlap in the time domain, and is not constrained by the number of auxiliary radars available. Simulations and experiments are used to validate the effectiveness and correctness of the proposed method in suppressing mainlobe repeater jamming.