Multiple target DOA estimation by exploiting knowledge of the antenna main beam pattern

We propose a new approach to the estimation of the direction of arrival (DOA) of multiple radar targets present in the main lobe of a mechanically rotating antenna. The method is based on the maximum likelihood (ML) technique and it exploits knowledge of the antenna beam pattern. Two scenarios are considered: multiple targets with deterministic unknown complex amplitudes, and multiple targets with random complex Gaussian distributed amplitudes. The performance of the proposed estimator is assessed through Monte Carlo simulation and compared with the Cramer-Rao lower bound.