Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques FHR
Early Detection in Highly Dynamic Scenarios
Modern defense systems must reliably detect and assess an increasingly diverse spectrum of threats. These include fast missiles, highly dynamic hypersonic systems, and large numbers of cost‑efficient unmanned platforms.
The growing density of simultaneous targets fundamentally reshapes operational requirements. Instead of focusing on individual objects, today’s systems must interpret complex scenarios involving multiple parallel threats. At the same time, electronic interference and deception measures significantly complicate the evaluation of sensor data.
Fraunhofer FHR develops ground‑based radar technologies for Integrated Air and Missile Defense. The aim is to provide decision‑makers with earlier warning times and a robust, reliable information foundation.
Focus: Detection, Tracking, and Classification
At the core of our work are methods that enable a reliable distinction between actual threats and non‑relevant objects. To achieve this, Fraunhofer FHR develops advanced signal‑processing techniques and data‑driven evaluation methods that deliver stable results even under challenging interference conditions. These capabilities support more precise prioritization of actions and help ensure that available resources are deployed more effectively.
Complementing these efforts, passive radar concepts are being explored — for example in the project SABBIA, which uses existing satellite signals for covert and robust detection.
Early Warning and Emerging Threat Types
New threat categories such as hypersonic weapons place exceptional demands on sensing technologies. Due to their extreme speeds and flight profiles, they can only be detected to a limited extent with conventional systems.
To address this, we are developing approaches for early detection over long distances, including the use of over‑the‑horizon radar systems. These systems exploit atmospheric propagation effects to detect distant objects at an early stage. Within the project iFURTHER, we investigate networked high‑frequency systems designed for wide‑area surveillance.
Integration into Networked Defense Systems
Ground‑based sensing has become an integral component of complex, networked defense architectures. Fraunhofer FHR focuses on generating and processing decision‑relevant sensor data within these systems.
The objective is to measurably enhance information quality, reaction time, and overall system efficiency. The technologies developed can be integrated into existing infrastructures and support their continued evolution.
Validation Through Real Measurement Data
The development of new methods is closely integrated with simulation, hardware design, and experimental validation. A distinctive strength of Fraunhofer FHR is access to extensive real‑world measurement data collected with in‑house systems. These data sets are essential for advancing modern classification techniques, as synthetic data can only approximate real‑world effects to a limited extent.
Using systems such as MOBIDAR, comprehensive measurement campaigns are conducted, including within the “Baltic Cloud” framework. These real‑world data form the foundation for developing and evaluating modern processing methods and enable robust assessments under conditions that closely reflect operational reality.
Modernizing Existing Systems
A significant driver of innovation today lies less in hardware and increasingly in software. Many existing systems rely on legacy algorithms that can no longer fully meet current operational demands. To address this, Fraunhofer FHR develops new approaches for the software‑based enhancement of established sensor systems.
Through advanced algorithms, adaptive processing methods, and flexible software architectures, existing sensor solutions can be efficiently adapted to evolving requirements. This enables powerful modernization concepts without the need for complete system replacement, providing clients with sustainable and cost‑effective upgrade paths.