High-fidelity modeling and simulation for wideband receiving system development

Abstract

Research experience has shown that it is expensive to design, build and test a RF/microwave system that is comprised of various RF/microwave components. In order to mitigate the problem, High-Fidelity Modeling and Simulation (HFM&S) is a practical approach that includes high-fidelity behavioural model (HFBM) of the receiving system and scenarios embedded with different Concept of Operations (CONOPS). HFM&S is also an essential way to develop receiving system specifications that can be used for system validation and verification. This paper presents the HFBM of a wideband digital receiver using Matlab/Simulink ® and the RF Toolbox ™ /SimRF ™ , and the use of the model to build a multi-channel receiving system that has a linear antenna array. The receiving system is installed on an UAV to intercept a ground-based emitter signal in a scenario that is built in Systems Tool Kit®. Through the design and build of the UAV receiver and its deployment in a scenario, this paper demonstrates the following: what is meant by HFBM of a system and how it can simulate real hardware; how signal integrity in the HFM&S can be and should be retained; why amplitude and phase are important for signal waveform level M&S; why the modern high performance computing technology should be used for signal waveform level M&S; and why the development of a realistic scenario is an important part of HFM&S for application CONOPS development?