ABORT-Like Detection Strategies to Combat Possible Deceptive ECM Signals in a Network of Radars

Abstract

We address adaptive detection of coherent signals backscattered by possible point-like targets in presence of thermal noise, clutter, noise-like interferers and, possibly, coherent interferers, i.e., deceptive electronic countermeasure (ECM). To this end, we assume a network of radars: for a given cell under test only a subset of the radars receives ECM signals. Training data containing thermal noise, clutter, and noise-like interferers are available. The problem at hand is solved resorting to the generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) and to ad hoc solutions: at the design stage we assume that data collected by the radars can be noise only (namely, thermal noise, clutter, and possible noise-like interferers) plus possible coherent interferers or noise plus coherent useful signal. The performance assessment shows that the proposed solutions are effective in presence of ECM systems.