Non-cooperative Moving Target Recognition Using ISAR

In Phase-I, a Fast Pattern Recognizer (FPR) System was evaluated as a future processor candidate for Navy fast-reaction, supersonic, stand-off weapons. The FPR will autonomously detect, identify, correlate, and track complex ship and land targets inhostile, high-clutter environments in real time. Because image correlation is computationally intensive, real-time processing must be accomplished by means other than traditional hardware and/or software. The FPR uses an electronic implementation analogousto an optical correlator, where the Fourier transform of the incoming image is compared against known target images stored as matched filters. The innovative FPR is ideal for onboard real time missile applications with guidance update rates of 30 times persecond. The FPR technology employs patented novel algorithms and an acoustic dispersive delay line to achieve ultra fast image processing rates at 11,000 correlations per second.Phase II development focuses on real-time FPR design in two stages-first, a mission planning and targeting (MP&T) subsystem for non-real-time development-and second, an onboard missile subsystem (MFPR) for real-time processing. The MP&T incorporatesenhanced algorithm design and mission support functions. The MFPR incorporates a digital signal processor (DSP) front-end for real time image conditioning for the FPR to correlate, recognize and track targets.