Weak maneuvering target detection in random pulse repetition interval radar.

• For the maneuvering target detection, the proposed method can remove range migration (RM) and Doppler frequency migration (DFM) in both fixed and random pulse repetition interval (PRI) radar systems. • The proposed method has a high search efficiency thanks to the adoption of sparse Fourier transform (SFT). • As a linear algorithm, the proposed method has a good performance in the scenario of multiple weak targets detection. The range migration (RM) and Doppler frequency migration (DFM) are the two major problems faced by radar maneuvering target detection. Unlike the existing algorithms which focus on the correction of RM and DFM in the fixed pulse repetition interval (PRI) system, this paper proposes a novel method which can further realize coherent integration in the random PRI system. The proposed method firstly conducts the multi-dimensional search for the maneuvering target's trajectory, then compensates DFM and realizes coherent integration via the nonuniform polynomial sparse Fourier transform (NUPSFT). As a linear algorithm, the proposed method can detect multiple weak targets without generating any cross term. Moreover, a high processing efficiency can be obtained thanks to the application of sparse Fourier transform (SFT). Both theoretical analysis and simulation results have validated the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]