Use of wideband waveforms for target recognition with surveillance radars

A long range target recognition system was developed using a high range resolution mode in a surveillance radar. The radar performs normal air surveillance but on targets of interest a wideband waveform is used in a few pulses of the normal dwell. These pulses are processed to yield high resolution range profiles of the target. Target recognition algorithms were also developed and tested with a database obtained by recording the signatures of a mix of identified civilian and military aircraft. The single look recognition accuracy is better than 80 per cent for all classes except helicopters which was 68 per cent.