Ambiguity Clutter Suppression via Pseudorandom Pulse Repetition Interval for Airborne Radar System
Yukai Kong, Xianxiang Yu, Tao Fan, Guolong Cui, Lingjiang Kong
Abstract
Ambiguity clutter for airborne radar system is usually caused by uniform pulse repetition interval (UPRI) waveform, which significantly degrades target detection and location performance. To address this issue, this paper proposes an ambiguity clutter suppression method resorting to pseudorandom pulse repetition interval (PrPRI) waveform. First, airborne radar clutter model accounting for multiple range rings with PrPRI waveform is developed. Next, a non-uniform coherent processing framework is introduced to eliminate the clutter folded in the range and Doppler domain. In particular, the reasons for the enlargement of the area free of clutter corresponding of PrPRI mode are analyzed, as well as the maximum unambiguous Doppler frequency, maximum unambiguous range and design principles for PRI are derived. Finally, numerical examples are designed to verify that the non-uniform coherent processing framework can enlarge the clutter-free area and achieve the unambiguity target detection and location.