Channel-level STAP and ATBF for missile-borne wideband phased-array mono-pulse radar

A novel method of clutter suppression, target detection and angle measurement based on channel-level STAP and ATBF is presented for wideband phased array mono-pulse radar with application in strong sea clutter background. In the method, two kinds of transmitting pattern are used alternatively. Firstly, transmitting beam of conventional pattern is formed, and the output range-Doppler images of sum channel and elevation difference channel are used for adaptive clutter cancellation and target detection. Then the cancellation factor of the target cell is used to obtain the equivalent receiving pattern which is null-formed at the direction of clutter to be suppressed, and the receiving pattern is conversed to the modified transmitting pattern according to the transceiver reciprocity principle. Finally, the weight factor of each array element is computed to form the transmitting beam according to the modified pattern, and target angles are measured according to the conventional mono-pulse mode. Theoretical analysis and simulation results show that the method has low computational complexity and good performance in clutter suppression, mitigated glint suppression and target angle measurement.