Estimation of Radar Cross Section for a Swerving 1 Target

In this paper, we consider the problem of estimation of average radar cross section (RCS) for Swerling 1 fluctuation model, based on the maximum likelihood (ML) estimation method. In a mathematical development we take into account the event that target strength is lower than detection threshold, or the target is not detected. Our ML estimation for the SWR uses the score function that is the joint probability-pdf of the events and random variables. The solution to the ML estimation reduces to an expression in the from of a contraction mapping. The computational efficiency of the contraction mapping theorem is significant in computing the ML estimation as compared with other root-finding algorithms fur most radar tracking conditions.