Compact Passive Radar

In contested A2/AD environments, active radar emissions act as beacons for adversary Electronic Warfare. To ensure survivability, the DoW requires covert sensing utilizing "illuminators of opportunity." This effort requires a 100% receive-only payload; the sensor shall not transmit any RF energy. Current passive systems are bulky, expensive, and primarily optimized for SIGINT/ESM rather than radar functionality. They lack the tightly synchronized, multi-channel receivers necessary for direct reference signal acquisition, spatial processing, and clutter cancellation. The DoW seeks a paradigm shift toward low-cost, multi-channel "attritable" (expendable) sensors designed specifically for high-risk deployments. This topic seeks the development of a Small Form Factor (SFF) passive X-Band radar featuring both Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging and Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) capabilities. Optimized for extreme Size, Weight, Power, and Cost (SWaP-C) constraints, the payload must be light enough for integration onto Group 1 or 2 UAS, loitering munitions, or unattended ground sensors.