Knowledge-based signal processing for radar ESM systems
J. Roe, S. Cussons, A. M. Feltham · IEE Proceedings F Radar and Signal Processing · 1990
Radar electronic support measures (ESM) systems perform the functions of threat detection and area surveillance to determine the identity and bearing of surrounding radar emitters. Automatic ESM systems incorporate a passive receiver to measure the parameters of detected radar pulses and an automatic processor to rapidly sort pulses and identify the emitters. Current processors use algorithmic processing methods which are inflexible and do not fully utilise available sources of a priori information. The paper discusses the role of knowledge-based processing methods and how they may be applied to the key ESM signal-processing functions of deinterleaving, merge and emitter identification. ESM processors are required to sort input pulse data streams exceeding one million pulses per second and minimise the reporting latency of new emitters. The paper further discusses the requirements to achieve real-time operation of knowledge-based ESM processing techniques.