Optimizing radar signal to noise ratio for tracking maneuvering targets

The scheduling of track dwells to minimize radar energy and time with an agile beam radar is considered. Typically, a radar scheduler picks a waveform pulsewidth to achieve a desired signal-to-noise (SNR) level, and this is called the nominal tracking SNR. In theory, the combination of high quality measurements and good kinematic modeling in the tracker yields longer track revisit periods, thus minimizing total radar time allocated to the track. However, high quality measurements are at the cost of higher tracking SNR, thus higher energy. In this study, the trade between higher energy waveforms and radar time is further investigated. The role of those higher energy waveforms with more accurate measurements in the performance of the Interacting Multiple Model (IMM) estimator is also investigated. Using simulation studies, the optimal tracking SNR levels that minimize radar time and energy are investigated.