Successful simulation results in a true immersion into a synthetic environment. This is the goal for which all simulation engineers strive. Along with that goal comes bounds, limitations and design constraints. These considerations are the compromise between accuracy, realism, schedules, and cost. With the economic conditions and the trend toward cutbacks, producing quality, high-fidelity training devices at a low cost has become of paramount importance in the quest of winning contracts. Ascertaining that optimal approach can be a very difficult task for all parties involved in the process. All issues for each specific application must be addressed and a thorough understanding of problems facing the design engineers must be defined.

Today's challenge is to produce low-cost, computationally complex software systems for real-time radar simulation. Fortunately, there are now avenues for simulation designers to accomplish this, with the advent of inexpensive, mass-produced, high-powered processors that are currently available. This paper discusses a low-cost solution to a simulated ground-based radar system using PC-based technologies and off-the-shelf products. The paper starts with a review of classical approaches to radar simulation. It defines the problem facing design engineers who must choose the delicate balance between low-cost and high-fidelity simulation. It introduces the development methodologies that cover the up-front engineering design approaches. The paper then presents the design solutions for a particular application using Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) and innovative graphical techniques. Finally, it makes recommendations concerning future directions of other applicable systems.