Atmospheric Effects Mitigation and Enhanced Metrics for Improved Radar Tracking and Handover

Propagation Research Associates, Inc., (PRA) proposes to continue its Phase I teaming relationship with Lockheed Martin to develop and demonstrate atmospheric effects mitigation metrics and algorithms for improved Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) radar tracking and handover. PRA proposes to further develop the target metrics and processing algorithms that were developed in Phase I by validating the algorithm performance in both a high-fidelity simulation and a data-collection experiment. These metrics use the spatial and temporal correlation to measure relative state parameters and then bootstrap up to absolute parameters. The primary advantage to the PRA proposed solution is that it provides MDA with a cost-effective approach to enhance the existing BMD infrastructure. The PRA solution requires no hardware modifications to current capability but instead will utilize PRA’s algorithms to extend current BMD performance. In Phase I, PRA developed target metrics and processing algorithms that utilize its unique atmospheric characterization measurement systems. In Phase II, PRA proposes to validate the radar metrics and processing algorithms using accredited BMD simulations and operational early warning radars and will work with Lockheed Martin in a Phase III effort to implement and test the algorithms into a BMD radar facility.