Knowledge-Aided Overland Height Estimation Using Matched Terrain Processing (MTP)

ORINCON proposes to extend a highly successful knowledge-aided (KA) technique called Matched Terrain Processing (MTP) to enable estimates of overland heights of slow, low-flying airborne targets using signals from a surveillance aircraft radar. Suchsurveillance aircraft typically have antenna apertures with poor elevational resolution, so that the altitude of a target is not directly obtainable through antenna spatial resolution. The MTP is a predictive propagation environment signal processingtechnique that exploits both digital terrain elevation data (DTED) and microwave backscatter geo-spatial databases. The backscatter database is derived from LULC (land use land cover) databases. We illustrate the value of MTP processing by demonstratingits capability to geolocate a terrestrial pulsed emitter using only a single received pulse intercepted by a single ESM aircraft platform, using the KA exploitation of the terrestrial emitter's interaction with the surrounding terrain. The altitudeestimation technology developed on this effort will enable future tactical implementations involving precision handover from surveillance systems to fire control assets. It is anticipated that cartographic data derived directly from geo-specific remotelysensed imagery would be used to drive the advanced signal processing algorithms.