Tracking High-Speed Targets Using a Pulse Doppler Stepped-Frequency Waveform

This paper develops a computationally efficient processing technique using fast Fourier transforms (FFT), averaging, and weighted least squares fits to track high-speed targets with a pulse Doppler waveform that is stepped in frequency. The measurements will be unambiguous in Doppler for high-speed targets of interest, but highly ambiguous in range before tracking. First, a range-Doppler matrix is formed using motion compensated data. Then, the effect of the range, radial velocity, and radial acceleration of the target on the processed data is approximated by a polynomial series, and the parameters are estimated using a weighted least squares fit. Monte Carlo simulations of the algorithm when four or more cpis of data are processed are in reasonable agreement with the theoretical predictions.