Multisensor ESA resource management

The integration of multiple sensors with an Electronically Scanned Array (ESA) for target tracking and resource management has been intensely investigated, and several effective techniques have been developed. Conventional techniques employ complex, decision-directed logic to select the target revisit interval and adjust the filter process noise to account for target maneuvers, but have the potential to improve performance. For most systems, each sensor provides its information to a central location where the integration occurs. This central track is employed for system decisions and provides a manageable tracking environment but restricts the potential for system improvement. An ESA is highly controllable and has the ability to greatly enhance tracking performance. Resource allocation for an ESA is critical, since it must support multiple functions, and several modern techniques have been developed to enhance its performance as a stand-alone sensor by effectively managing its time-energy budget. The integration of an ESA with other sensors can further enhance the tracking and reduce the resource allocation requirements of the ESA. This paper presents a technique for ESA resource management through the use of multisensor integration that employs the Interacting Multiple Model (IMM) algorithm and the Probabilistic Data Association Filter (PDAF). Simulation results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of this modern integration technique