PS-05/A

Key takeaways

PS-05/A belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect PS-05/A to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of PS-05/A from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The PS-05/A is a pulse-doppler radar currently used by the JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft (JAS 39A, B, C and D variants). It weighs 156 kg and was developed by Ericsson in collaboration with GEC-Marconi, sharing some technology with the latter's Blue Vixen radar for the Sea Harrier (which inspired the Eurofighter's CAPTOR radar). The PS-05/A works in the 8–10 GHz band and has 1 kW energy output (> 10 kW maximum output). The radar is capable of detecting, locating, identifying and automatically tracking multiple targets in the upper and lower spheres, on the ground and sea or in the air, in all weather conditions. It consists of four line replaceable units and all LRUs can be replaced in 30 minutes. Gripen operator Hungarian Air Force reported the PS-05 radar set has proved reliable so far, both in domestic service and NATO flight exercises in Corsica.

Versions

PS-05/A Mark 3 This version of the PS-05/A radar has been available since 2005. It is capable of detecting a fighter aircraft from 120 km distance and can see road traffic and count ships at anchor in a harbour at 70 km. The radar weighs 156 kg made up of a 25 kg 60 cm diameter antenna/platform assembly, a 73 kg power liquid-cooled, travelling wave tube power amplifier/transmitter unit, a 32 kg software-controlled exciter/receiver unit and a 23 kg signal/data processor. Radar modes: a) Air-to-Air modes:

LRS (Long Range Search) is used to detect and identify targets at high ranges. TWS (Track While Scan) allows to track targets and search for other targets. MPTT (Multiple Priority Target Tracking). PTT (Priority Target Tracking) allows accurate targeting and tracking Air-to-Air missiles. STT (Single Target Track). ACM (Air Combat Mode) is used for automatic target detection in dogfight. b) Air-to-Surface modes:

LRS (Long Range Search) is used for ground or sea target search at long distances. RA (Raid Assessment) ensures bombing. SMTI (Stationary and Moving Target Indication) is used for ground stationary or moving targets. GSPTT (Ground and Sea Priority Target Tracking). GM (Ground Mapping) ensures mapping of terrain under the aircraft for navigation purposes (e.g. terrain copying at night or adverse weather condition). HRM (High Resolution Mapping) ensures terrain mapping by synthetic aperture in order to gain high resolution pictures. RANGING high accuracy ground target ranging. All information is processed by a Mercury Computer Systems RACE/PPC setup, which has replaced the Ericsson D80 of Batch 1-2 Gripens. By 2015 MK3 detection range for Air-to-Air high altitude had improved by 80% compared to earlier, distances where MK3 previously detected a 4 m2 sized target it now detects an 0.4 m2 target. During exercises in November 2015 between the Gripen fighters of the Royal Thai Air Force and the Chinese Shenyang J-11As, the latter were detected at more than 160 km.

PS-05/A Mark 4 Is an upgraded version of the Mark 3 available since 2015. It extends Air-to-Air operating range by introducing a new Air-to-Air mode which increases acquisition range by 100% at low altitudes and 40% at high altitudes. This radar mode is also useful for detection of targets with very low RCS, and the acquisition range in the legacy Air-to-Air modes is also improved by 20–50%. This version also enhances Air-to-Surface capabilities to modern standards with two new SAR modes with 3-metre and sub-metre resolution, enhances GMTI/GMTT (SMTI/GSPTT) modes and adds a new Sea Search mode designed to detect small boats at an increased acquisition range by >100%. The ECCM capabilities and passive operation are significantly improved, and improves tactical and technical evaluation of analysing radar behaviour.

PS-05/A Mark 5 Was intended to be a further upgrade of the Mark 4 radar with a new AESA antenna instead of the mechanically scanned antenna. Development of the Mark 5 radar started out under the Saab Ericsson NORA (Not Only a RAdar) programme, and has been underway for several years, including test flying aboard a specially retained Saab JA 37 Viggen testbed. The benefits of the NORA concept were the provision of improved long-range tracking as a result of the combination of longer detection range and electronically steered beam control, dominant battlespace awareness, track identification through non-co-operative target recognition, low probability of intercept and enhanced jamming capabilities. The AESA radar programme was directly linked to MIDAS (Multifunction Integrated Defensive Avionics System), which will also add electronic attack and advanced datalinking capabilities. In October 2015 Saab revealed a new unnamed AESA radar intended for fighter aircraft, utilising the back end of the PS-05/A. 28 April 2020 SAAB reported that it had test flown an GaN based AESA of the PS-05/A radar family.

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with PS-05/A

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what PS-05/A claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to PS-05/A before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about PS-05/A ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of PS-05/A

In research: PS-05/A appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses PS-05/A in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: PS-05/A is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Aircraft radars, Ericsson, Military radars of Sweden, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for PS-05/A outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

How to study PS-05/A in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what PS-05/A means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain PS-05/A out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is PS-05/A in simple terms?

The PS-05/A is a pulse-doppler radar currently used by the JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft (JAS 39A, B, C and D variants). It weighs 156 kg and was developed by Ericsson in collaboration with GEC-Marconi, sharing some technology with the latter's Blue Vixen radar for the Sea Harrier (which inspired…

Why does PS-05/A matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study PS-05/A?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on PS-05/A.