As an intermediate stage between a vehicle-carried radar and an AWACS, the hover platform radar is an automatic battery-driven system with a long reach beyond horizon.
The known problem of an AWACS is it's gigantic radar cross-section and susceptibility to anti-radar missiles. The known problem of a vehicle-carried radar is it's limited height extendability and the beyond-horizon problem. The closest analogue would be a helicopter-carried radar, but there the problem lies in the fuel inefficiency inherent to helicopters, the necessity for pilots risking their lives in the face of the threat from surface-air missiles.
The radar platform is a levitating scheme with four jet fans carrying an AFAR radar, and it's supporting automated recharge stations on the ground.
The main idea is a chemical battery connected and easily replaceable in the bottom base of the platform, plus a smaller emergency battery located within the hovercraft itself.
The recharge station can be of maximum simplicity - a cement platform with a GPS-located stack of battery packs.
A protected optical/laser downlink by four transmitters in the four corners (chosen by the strongest signal) eliminates the risk of interference and signal intercept. Receivers will have to be located on the ground. Optional recording of the air situation and later download on the ground is another alternative.
A gyroscopic leveler always keeps the antenna in horizontal alignment during maneuver.
The craft has a pseudorandom movement scheme within an elevation of 10-500 meters for evading low-tech shootdown attempts. The craft must be able to automatically return to a battery exchange point on the ground, dropping off the old battery and connecting on the new one with four extendable "reachers".
An extented flight mode is possible where the craft drops the battery pack from a maximum flight height and thus loses some of the weight, hovers a bit longer and then descends on the emergency battery energy.
This would ofcourse mean the destruction of the battery pack, unless it is dropped into water.
The aerodynamics of the battery in case of a water drop would ofcourse have to align it for vertical entrance into the water.
A unique structurally mixed AFAR/collector antenna allows for switchdown to the simpler collector mode in case of damage or for saving energy.
The self-retractable landing feet are conformant with the hull and adjustable for uneven terrain. The hovercraft should have a capacity to land on a mountaintop and do the observation routine in standing mode, saving energy.
Warning lights for night operation can be activated.
(Screenshots from Unity engine)
(This is a product from CGTrader: https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/vehicle/sci-fi/hovering-radar-platform)
