The Radar Power Technology (RPT) program has been established to provide a center of technology excellence for the design and development of mobile radars with integrated power sources. The RPT is distributed organizationally, in that several university centers of technology development conduct cooperative projects on radar design and development, with leadership provided by the Army's Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDTC) located in Huntsville, AL. Figure 1 shows the distribution of activities, which capitalizes on the technology strengths of each organization.

Organization	Function
Army SMDTC	Management, Coordination, Military Applications and Requirements
University of Mississippi	Radar System Integration, T/R Modules, Thermal Control, and Algorithms
Auburn University	Batteries, Fuel Cells, Fuel Reformers, Capacitors, Electrolyzers
Mississippi State University	Electric Power Distribution, Turbo-Electric and Other Generators

    SMDTC plans to conduct this program over five fiscal years that began in 2000. During this period, SMDTC is leading a cooperative effort to define and execute an initial program for technology assessment, and initiate actions necessary to integrate and leverage existing programs for radar and power technologies. At the end of the five-year period, the Radar Power Technology program (RPT) will have developed the building blocks for an integrated sub-array consisting of active T/R modules, integrated signal processing, and a distributed power source (PEM fuel cell). The program will also pursue the development of a logistics fuel reformer allowing the fuel cell to operate off standard Army fuels.
    To accomplish these goals, The University of Mississippi has formulated a research program that capitalizes on emerging technologies to provide the proposed fully integrated radar subarrays to improve the effectiveness of mobile radar systems, and to develop testing facilities for phased array radars. This research program includes the procurement of transmit/receive modules, the development of control equipment to conduct necessary radar experiments employing distributed-power using developed components and government supplied equipment, the design and development of advanced heat exchangers for radar/power supply cooling, and the development of experimental hardware and systems technology required for integration and testing of this proposed radar technology. The integration and testing of this technology will be accomplished under the direction of the USASMDTC and in cooperation with their specified equipment suppliers, agencies or other designated groups involved in this technology development program.
    This new initiative is based on a five-year program to develop radar technology for smaller and more efficient mobile radars through integration of the radar and its power source by The University of Mississippi and its selected subcontractors (Radiance Technologies, MilTec, Inc. and COLSA Corp). The first year of this initiative addressed staffing, planning, and technology assessment for the development, testing, and demonstration of a lightweight self-powered radar antenna subarray, while pursuing enhancement in basic radar and thermal control technology for an integrated radar power system, signal processing algorithms, and system tests. Radar system design is being addressed related to optimal performance, particularly through the use of signal processing to enhance signal-to-noise ratios for improved operation in clutter, chaff, and jamming environments.
    The first year of the program is highlighted by two major demonstrations. During the first demonstration, the University demonstrated that an active X-band, radar T/R modules can be powered by a fuel cell power source. In other demonstrations, the distributed power source is a battery or series of batteries that can directly supply the DC power needed for the radar sub-array validating the principle of a more efficient application of available power. The second demonstration to be conducted uses a COLSA, Inc. proprietary algorithm with government furnished equipment (GFE), such as the Sentinel radar and signal processor, to improve signal-to-noise. The purpose of this demonstration is to show that signal processing algorithms can reduce the prime power requirements needed for operation in clutter. The University and its team, that includes Radiance Technologies, Inc, Miltec, Inc. and COLSA, Corp. is conducting research and development in four principal research areas over these five years of the program with emphasis in the first year on the array, cooling techniques, and integrating the components with the T/R modules.