Adaptive processing for low RCS targets

An adaptive system to determine and transmit a radar signal matched to a target's impulse response was designed, breadboarded and tested. The application is to targets which consist of discrete point-like scatterers. A pilot signal consisting of a single short pulse is transmitted. The return from this pilot pulse is range gated in a network which generates a piecewise approximation of the conjugate of the impulse response. This approximation becomes the matched signal which is then transmitted. The system was demonstrated to provide nearly theoretical target enhancement even when the pilot pulse return was at the receiver noise level. Operation under situations where the target-impulse response was changing was also demonstrated. Problem areas in the implementation are described.