Survey on dual-function radar-communication waveform design

The significance of DFRC research lies in its potential to fundamentally address the growing challenges of spectrum scarcity and system coexistence in increasingly contested electromagnetic environments. By enabling radar and communication functions to operate jointly through shared hardware and integrated waveforms, DFRC not only alleviates spectrum congestion and reduces hardware redundancy, but also enhances the operational efficiency, stealth capability, and survivability of modern platforms. This integration is critical for next-generation defense systems, intelligent transportation, and integrated sensing-communication networks, where real-time situational awareness and reliable data links must coexist without interference.

Research progress in DFRC has evolved from early conceptual studies to sophisticated system-level implementations. Key advances include the development of waveform design strategies based on well-known signals such as LFM, OFDM, and OTFS. Significant efforts have been devoted to optimizing waveforms for multiple-input multiple-output DFRC systems, including beampattern matching for directional sensing, minimization of Cramér–Rao bounds for parameter estimation, and information-theoretic approaches for balancing communication rate and sensing fidelity. Recent prototype demonstrations have validated the feasibility of DFRC technology through software-defined radio platforms.

In conclusion, DFRC technology represents a transformative shift from separated radar and communication systems toward deeply integrated multifunctional platforms. Current research has established a solid theoretical foundation for waveform design and performance trade-offs, with prototyping efforts demonstrating practical viability. Looking forward, future work should focus on dynamic waveform adaptation in time-varying channels, robust multi-user and multi-target DFRC schemes, and AI-driven co-design of sensing and communication functions. Moreover, the integration of DFRC with emerging technologies such as reconfigurable intelligent surfaces, joint radar-communication- perception networks, and 6G cellular systems will be crucial for achieving scalable, efficient, and resilient dual-functional systems across both military and civilian applications.