Aircraft Non-Cooperative Target Recognition (NCTR) is a method for assessing the threatfulness of aircraft within a dense surveillance space at long range. The fusion of measurements from multiple radar modes facilitates the determination of a comprehensive set of target characteristics such that a more informed assessment of a targets threat level can be made. The inclusion of surveillance mode track information provides target speed and altitude, High Range Resolution (HRR) provides gross physical features, and analysis of polarimetric ISAR/SAR data provides information regarding locations of larger physical features, micro-Doppler signatures from rotating features on helicopters, propeller aircraft and jets (micro-Doppler/JEM), and smaller structural details isolated by scattering variations (polarization). This information can be combined to assess the threat level of aircraft in the field. The accumulation of information from multiple radar modes must be balanced with resource utilization and probability of intercept. Therefore, it is necessary to be able to assess the value of each additional radar mode to the fielded NCTR system. RDRTec proposes to expand on the modular building blocks within our Challenging target Airborne Detection & Discrimination (CADD) mode development testbed to create a suite of tools for the development and evaluation of radar modes suitable for aircraft NCTR. CADD has been developed across a series of SBIR topics including: N141-067, N151-105, N152-083, N192-059, and N192-089. The testbed includes a MATLAB suite of tools plus open architecture real-time C++ code designed to provide a means of developing, testing, and fielding advanced radar modes suitable for challenging target detection and discrimination. CADD creates a bridge to transition for this innovative aircraft NCTR radar system. The modular nature of CADD enables us to quantify the effectiveness of including each set of measurements (RCS, length, track data, polarization features, ISAR features, and micro-Doppler/JEM features) to screen out uninteresting targets and discriminate targets of interest for aircraft NCTR. RDRTec will partner with HyPerComp to simulate radar signatures of aircraft targets of interest, which will then be ingested into the CADD testbed for NCTR system development and testing. Their simulations include 6 DOF models, high order EM solvers, data visualization tools, and RF data generation at a variety of viewing angles, radar frequencies, and polarizations. HyPerComps efforts in large-scale RF data generation (HDphysics-RF) for DoDs various warfighter requirements is supported by several SBIR and non-SBIR contracts funded by a series of SBIR/RIF Army contracts W31P4Q-20-C-0025, W31P4Q-16-C-0045, W31P4Q-16-C-0080, W58RGZ-22-C-0037, W51701-22-C-0029, and many ongoing efforts with the Air Force, Navy, and DARPA. RDRTec has a long history of working with HyPerComp and ingesting their RF simulations into the CADD testbed.
Benefit: This Phase 1 feasibility study will: Enhance the CADD testbed to be used for the development and test of aircraft NCTR radar systems. Produce example commercial and military aircraft signatures including polarization and micro-Doppler signatures and for a variety of radar transmit frequencies. Evaluate algorithms for exploiting aircraft signature features. Develop a baseline aircraft NCTR system which can be used further research and development in phase II. At the completion of this phase I effort, if the approach is demonstrated to be feasible, RDRTec will be postured for a Phase II effort to refine the algorithms and techniques explored in phase I. A successful Phase II prototype would then lead to Phase III opportunities to transition the technology as part of CADD to existing and future radar systems. RDRTec has a proven record of transitioning SBIR technologies such as MCA through the following three approaches: Licensing of technology to primes for integration with their existing products. Example: Licensing MCA to Telephonics for integration with their maritime surveillance radar systems. Partnering with primes to leverage their manufacturing and integration capability. Example: Partnering with Raytheon to bring our ISAR mode to multiple families of COARPs Radar Systems Working directly with the DoD to integrate our technologies with their mission systems Example: Integrating MCA with Minotaur for transition into Triton, Fire Scout, Poseidon, and MH60-R All of these will be used for transitioning the innovative NCTR technologies developed under this SBIR.
Keywords: CADD, CADD, HRR, Radar, Micro-Doppler, NCTR, Open Architecture, ISAR
