An Angle Estimation Approach for Coherent FDA Radar Based on Transmit-Receive Sum and Difference Beamforming

This paper proposes a high-precision angle estimation method based on transmit sum and difference beamforming for coherent frequency diverse array (FDA) radar. By employing a small frequency offset across the array aperture, the coherent FDA radar achieves a range-angle-coupled transmit beampattern that combines wide transmission coverage with narrow reception capability. The proposed method constructs an equivalent two-dimensional coupled sum-difference beam in the target output channel by simultaneously utilizing signal detection outputs from multiple transmitted beams. This approach maintains the inherent advantages of FDA systems while enabling accurate angle estimation without sacrificing coverage. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed architecture achieves an angular resolution of 1/20 of the beamwidth at a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 20 dB, significantly outperforming conventional techniques. The method exhibits robust performance in various scenarios, which makes it a good candidate for modern radar applications requiring both wide-area surveillance and high-precision angle measurement.