Abstract
Bistatic radar systems have been studied and built since the earliest days of radar. They have the advantages that the receivers are passive, and hence potentially undetectable. The receiving systems can also be simple and cheap.
In spite of those advantages, rather few bistatic radar systems have got past the ‘technology demonstrator’ phase, and it is only now that real bistatic radar systems are being developed and fielded. Also, there is particular current interest in passive bistatic radar (PBR) techniques, using broadcast and communications signals as ‘illuminators of opportunity’.
The lecture presents a review of some of the history, and the properties and current developments in the subject, as well as the prospects for the future.
