Multi-Aspect Radar Algorithms (MARA) Study

Sci-Teq, Inc. submits this report as the second quarterly report on the 18 month study entitled "Multi-Aspect Radar Algorithms (MARA)". The MARA research study is investigating and defining a surveillance system concept for a net-sentric surveillance sensor system. The system will be comprised of multiple, geographically dispersed, multi-band, multi-static Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) imaging sensors with co-located ESM sensors. The operational objective of the multi-sensor net-worked systems is to provide area surveillance of maritime traffic with an inherent classification/identification capability through the use of multi-static radar image generation augmented with electromagnetic signature detection and correlation. The networked surveillance system concept would be implemented using a COTS line-of-sight wireless network and GPS time to coherently synchronize and event-time the sensors operating on the network when conducting multi-static data collection and generation. The research study is defining and evaluating algorithms for the generation and processing of the multi-aspect ISAR data from the multi-static radar systems operating within the network. The capture of multi-static, multi-aspect target data is expected to significantly improve the quality and fidelity of the ISAR imagery that is made available to the network for target classification and identification purposes. The research study is also investigating and defining an architecture and design for a data collection radar system to be implemented with Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) subsystems. The data collection radar system design to be realized from this study, if implemented in hardware, would provide a limited laboratory and range test configuration for the collection of data and operational concept evaluations.

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