GMTI Data Exploitation For SWAP Limited Radar Systems

ABSTRACT: GMTI signal processing algorithms are developed, which improve the capabilities of SWaP limited airborne radar systems, resulting in better detection, geo-location, and characterization of all types of moving targets and ground clutter conditions, providing two-channel radar systems with capabilities for detection and geo-location of slowly moving weak targets comparable to estimates currently available only from systems with three or more channels. Classical GMTI systems do not use modern SAR image formation processing to resolve the ground clutter into target size (or smaller) resolution cells and thus attempt to detect small moving targets using test cells which have very poor target to clutter-plus-noise ratios. We exploit the fine spatial resolution of SAR, and construct tests statistics which integrate target signals using resolution cells uncontaminated by returns from clutter regions larger than the targets, resulting in improved detection. The longer coherent integration times of SAR make more target energy available to the processor, which we exploit with new algorithms to improve the detection of weak and extremely slow moving targets. Even fast targets are difficult to detect using classical GMTI when the radial component of the velocity is small, but with SAR, even modest target accelerations can be exploited to detect targets. BENEFIT: Improved GMTI data exploitation increases the utility of SWaP limited radar systems, making it possible to detect small, slow, and weakly reflecting targets, thus providing capabilities that are in high-demand from a variety of platforms. There continues to be a need for advanced ISR capabilities for remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) for both military and commercial applications. In the civil sector, infrastructure monitoring, border protection, and maritime situational awareness represent components of a growing civil market for commercialization of GMTI algorithms and SAR technology.