Multi-Sensor Automated Ship and Small Craft Classification Tools

The current state of the art in assisted target recognition separately processes individual image frames from different sensor modalities (e.g., ISAR and EO/IR) and forms a decision based on a weighted sum of classification confidence for each modality. The request for proposal (RFP) indicates that it is desirable to investigate the potential benefit of simultaneous processing of ISAR and EO/IR with the intent of using the EO/IR data to improve the focusing of the ISAR imagery on a frame-by-frame basis. While this approach may yield improved tracking of the scatterer field for improved focusing and hence improved classification/recognition, it is possible that more robust and relatively better focusing performance could be obtained through signal processing techniques that exploit radar transmit-receive (Tx-Rx) phase center diversity. In contrast, exploitation of radar Tx-Rx phase center diversity would not require EO/IR imagery (or for that matter any other sensor data) to be needed for improved ISAR focusing.