A robust radar CFAR detector for multiple target situations

Abstract

The authors propose a generalized censored mean level detector (GCMLD) that determines the number of interfering targets and censors their corresponding samples. The GCMLD does not require any prior knowledge about the number of interfering targets and achieves robust performance. The authors also derive exact expressions for the probability of censoring the interfering targets and the overall probability of detection of the proposed detector. The GCMLD and a recently proposed CFAR (constant false-alarm rate) detector (B. Barboy, et al., 1986) are compared. The GCMLD is shown to be more robust in the presence of both weak and strong interfering targets. It also maintains its robustness even when the number of range cells is small, unlike the other CFAR detector.<>