Error Analysis of a Multi-Sensor Maritime Targeting System

Targeting systems are subject to multiple sources of error when operating in complex environments. To reduce the effect of these errors, modern targeting systems generally include both imaging and RF sensors. Data processing then provides target detection and classification information, and the detection streams are combined using a data fusion scheme to produce an optimal target location estimate with an associated latency. In this paper, the performance of a multi- sensor system in a maritime application is investigated using a mathematical simulator that has been developed to provide the system performance error analysis for different engagement scenarios and test conditions. This simulator is described together with the sources of targeting error such as image motion blur and radar glint. Additionally, the impact of flare and chaff countermeasures on the targeting performance is reviewed in terms of different types of target recognition and tracking algorithms.