Performance study of Matched Illumination signals using adaptive range-spread target detectors

Abstract

Target-Adaptive Matched Illumination (MI) Radars work on targets which can be resolved into multiple discrete scattering centers. Plurality of scattering centers depend on the physical extent and orientation of the target, the range resolution capabilities of the radar and its operating frequency. Increasing the radar range resolution reduces the amount of backscattered energy per discrete range cell, thus detection strategies for point target performs poorly in such scenarios. The detection performance in such scenarios can be dramatically enhanced by use of properly designed range-extended detectors structures that take full advantage of the back scattered energy across all target range cells. In this paper, we study the detection performance of target-adaptive MI transmission in conjunction with adaptive range-extended detectors and numerically demonstrate that the integrated MI radar system enhances target detection in such high resolution target scenarios.