Multi-tiered debris and clutter mitigation for BMD radar signal processors

Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) proposes a data-driven, multi-tiered, object-based approach to clutter and debris suppression during BMD engagements. Using models and signal processing innovations for clutter and debris developed during the Phase I program, improvements to the current and future generations of missile defense radars and sensors will be demonstrated and tested for effectiveness and robustness. The proposed innovations are intended to be applicable to current and future BMDS radar signal processing architectures, and include modifications to the front-end IQ data processing, pulse integration, detection processing, and target tracking. A multi-tiered approach is necessary to control radar resource utilization and to ensure robust performance against a broad spectrum of clutter and debris, including staging debris/motor chuff during the ascent phase, countermeasures, and post-intercept debris (of interest for kill assessment and raid scenarios) during the endgame. The Phase II effort will focus on the application of the Phase I technology into a functional end-to-end multi-target tracking system in order to demonstrate performance in on a complex simulated radar scene, and on technology transfer to existing BMDS elements. Additional advanced capabilities will also be pursued, especially with regards to transitioning the proposed technology to new all-active fully-wideband digital radar systems.