Development of high-grazing-angle radar signal processing techniques that employ a long integration time approach with a pulse agile beam that can be used to reliably detect, identify and discriminate maritime targets. Furthermore, we propose to conduct a proof-of-concept study that demonstrates the feasibility of using radar data coupled with advanced image analysis to detect moving submerged submarines. HMC has developed data processing technologies inherently aimed at facing low quality image challenges. The advanced image analysis method we propose is a customized pattern recognition technique using innovative algorithms and software-based logic. Our advanced approach identifies minute effects that submerged submarines generate on the sea-surface above. This proof-of-concept study will be completed within six months of contract award. Through this effort, HMC offers a new, non-acoustic radio frequency (RF) submarine tracking capability and a high-value operational system to enhance the Navys antisubmarine warfare (ASW) capabilities. Additional technologies examined in this proposed project will include advanced image processing of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data and exploitation, automatic target recognition (ATR) and classification. Our proposed effort supports a number of the top-level Naval Research Areas of Interest as non-acoustic ASW sensors and systems, rapid precision ASW targeting technologies and techniques and others
Benefit: Maritime surface requirements traditionally have involved low grazing angles when searching for small targets, partially submerged such as periscopes or small embarkations and vessels. The primary factor for this situation and operational condition is driven by the fact that the mean sea clutter return decreases dramatically at low grazing angles (e.g.
Keywords: antisubmarine warfare, antisubmarine warfare, advanced image analysis, non-acoustic RF submarine tracking, high-grazing-angle radar signal processing
