China Successfully Develops Its First Low-Altitude Wind Measuring Continuous-Wave Radar

Wind shear, the strong fluctuation of wind speed at low altitudes, is widely regarded as the killer of aircraft and the plague of airports. Now, however, the deadly phenomenon may have finally met its match. The No. 23 Research Institute of the Second Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) has successfully developed a low-altitude wind measuring continuous-wave radar system, the first of its kind developed in China. The new wind measuring radar is expected to provide better data than other similar systems to safeguard the landings and takeoffs of aircraft.

By providing reliable data on wind speed and direction, the radar is planned to serve landing and departing aircraft by alerting them specifically when wind shear occurs. The term wind shear refers to sudden changes in the direction and the speed of winds, which may result in a deviation of an aircraft from its intended route, or even the loss of stability and control. The successfully developed low-altitude wind measuring continuous wave radar performs its task by continuously probing the wind data every 5 meters to a range of 20 meters to 600 meters high in low altitude airspace, which greatly enhances accuracy of the data.

Traditional pulse radar systems are only able to measure the low-altitude wind field data every 60 meters to a range of 60 to 600 meters high, thus giving the data comparatively lower accuracy and larger blind spots.

空突变疾风被称为“飞机杀手”和“机场瘟疫”，现在它终于有了克星。航天科工二院23所研制成功了我国首部低空连续波测风雷达，此种新式测风雷达将更好地为飞机起降“保驾护航”。

此种雷达将服务于民航低空风切变领域，为飞机安全起航和着陆提供更可靠数据。低空风切变是指出现在600米以下风向、风速的突然变化，它不仅能使飞机航道偏离，而且可能使飞机失去稳定。23所研制出的低空连续波测风雷达，使雷达每隔5米就能连续探测20米到600米高度范围内的低空风场数据，大大提升了数据准确度。

传统的脉冲体制低空测风雷达只能每隔60米才能探测到60米到600米高度范围内的风场数据，数据准确度低、盲区大。