TIMM estimator versus IMM estimator: When the first is needed?

This paper first reviews IMM and TIMM estimators which are applied to automatic target tracking system. The purpose of this paper is to deal with the problem of how to choose the estimator between these two estimators. A tracking accuracy comparison between IMM estimator and TIMM estimator is carried out by simulation in terms of maneuvering index which stands for targets´ maneuver abilities. The simulation results obtained imply that below a certain maneuvering index of the maneuvering target, especially when it is approximately zero, TIMM estimator outperforms over traditional IMM estimator to track target motion. These conclusions should serve as a guideline in making a choice between the IMM and TIMM estimators.