Performance evaluation of China spaceborne precipitation radar: Preliminary results from airborne radar field campaign

China's first airborne Ku/Ka-band precipitation radar field campaign was carried out in 2010. Valuable data were collected by experimental aviation and simultaneous observations. Primary results of Ku/Ka-band precipitation radar field campaign are presented. Satellite-airplane-ground data comparisons are carried out in detail to validate airborne radar's ability in precipitation measurement. Important performance characteristics of airborne dual-frequency precipitation radar, including detection sensitivity, sidelobe level, dynamic range and actual range resolution, are presented to indicate the accuracy and sensitivity of the radar. Results show that the dual-frequency radar is qualified for the development of future spaceborne dual-frequency radar in China.