Key technologies have been developed that enable our ships to more precisely detect enemy threats at sea and in the air . From 2020 to 2023, the National Defense Research Agency (ADD, Director Park Jong-seung) secured the first “two-dimensional direction finding technology” for ships to detect anti-ship threat signals such as enemy radars and missiles.

This technology is a technique for detecting the direction of a signal source by using the phase difference of the received signal between array antennas having a two-dimensional phased array structure.

In recent years, the anti-ship missile threat has evolved from flying low over the surface of the sea to diving in the air at hypersonic speeds. In response, ADD has developed the existing capability of measuring only the azimuth (horizontal axis) of the threat signal.

Two-dimensional direction finding technology detects azimuth (horizontal axis) and elevation (vertical axis). This allows it to detect enemy threat signals from the air, improving the ship’s missile detection capabilities. In addition, it is possible to measure the specifications of enemy radars in peacetime to identify enemy trends and prepare conditions for offensive operations of friendly forces.

ADD developed this technology to replace the direction finding device of electronic warfare equipment for ships that has been in operation since the beginning of 2000, and has improved performance such as improving simultaneous signal processing capability, expanding detection frequency, and increasing detection distance compared to the existing one.

ADD aimed to install a two-dimensional direction finding device on the newly built Korean next-generation destroyer (KDDX), and selected the optimal antenna position by analyzing the structural electromagnetic wave reflection characteristics generated when the antenna was mounted on the ship’s integrated mast. In addition, the device was mounted on an integrated mast model and field tests were performed in a similar environment to demonstrate the applicability of the system.

Two-dimensional direction finding technology is expected to contribute to enhancing the performance of the ship’s electronic warfare equipment-II by providing precise detection capabilities against enemy threats directed at our ships. ADD has transformed phased array direction finding technology into the Aegis Trap, U? It is planned to continue to develop it so that it can be mounted on various platforms such as UAVs.