Continuous-discrete estimation for tracking ballistic missiles in air-surveillance radar

A problem of tracking tactical ballistic missiles (TBMs) in a long-range air-surveillance radar is considered. An effective tracking algorithm is presented, which is based on continuous-time dynamic models of object motions and on a discrete-time model of measurement process. The estimator utilises an innovative combination of kinematic models of TBM movements in radar ´range-azimuth-elevation´ coordinates, continuous-discrete extended Kalman filtering, interacting multiple-model state estimation and probabilistic data association. The performance and robustness of the new algorithm was proved by extensively testing using real and simulated radar data. For the purpose of this study its properties are illustrated using simulations.