Performance of MAX family of order-statistic CFAR detectors

The MAX family of constant-false-alarm-rate (CFAR) detectors is introduced as a generalization of the greatest of CFAR (GO-CFAR) or MX mean-level detector (MX-MLD). Members of the MAX family use local estimators based on order statistics and generate both a near-range and a far-range noise-level estimate. Local estimates are always combined through a maximum operation; this insures false-alarm control at clutter edges. At the same time, order-statistic-based estimators result in a high-resolution detector. A complete detection analysis is provided for SWII targets and a reference channel contaminated by large outliers. Results are presented for the MX censored MLD (MX-CMLD) operating in clutter. The MX order statistic detector (MX-OSD) based on only a single-order statistic per window, is analyzed, and curves showing the required threshold, CFAR loss, optimum censoring point, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) loss in the presence of outliers are given. Simulations are used to compare the dynamic responses of various MX-OSD detectors in a clutter and a multiple-target environment