A likelihood-based approach to joint target tracking and identification

The identification of aircraft using high range resolution radars requires a close interaction between the tracker and the identification algorithm. The tracker produces as output not only the estimates of target position and orientation, but also a measure of the quality of those estimates. The identification algorithm performs a likelihood-based search over both target types and target positions and orientations. This search compares the measured data to predicted data obtained from surface models of the possible targets. The search constitutes a simultaneous target tracking and identification system