End-to-end performance of the TESAR ATR system

The TESAR (Tactical Endurance Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)) system uses four algorithms in its three-stage algorithmic approach to the detection and identification of targets in continuous real-time, 1-ft-resolution, strip SAR image data. The first stage employs a multitarget detector with a built-in natural/cultural false-alarm mitigator. The second stage provides target hypotheses for the candidate targets and refines their angular pose. The third stage, consisting of two template-based algorithms, produces final target-identification decisions. This paper reviews the end-to-end ATR performance achieved by the TESAR system in preparation for a 1998 field demonstration at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen, MD. The discussion includes an overview of the algorithm suite, the system's unique capabilities, and its overall performance against eight ground targets.