Enhancing radar stealth performance through radar network resource allocation for multi-target tracking: a counter-sorting approach

The electronic interception system requires capturing a sufficiently long and relevant pulse traffic to determine the presence of a radiation source. This paper originates from active countermeasures perspectives and introduces a multi-radar resource allocation scheme in multi-target tracking scenarios to counteract pulse deinterleaving. Our study aims to enhance radar network stealth while preserving tracking accuracy by leveraging the collaborative capabilities of networked radars. We establish and analyze the signal model of multiple co-located multiple input multiple output radars tracking multiple targets and find that radar-controllable variables such as radiation power, duty cycle, and dwell time can impact both tracking precision and interceptable pulse length by interception receivers. Unlike conventional radar radio frequency stealth methods focused solely on single-pulse detection, we optimize these variables to reduce both probabilities of individual pulse interception and pulse traffic deinterleaving or sorting, lowering overall radar interception risks. Simulation results confirm the efficacy of our methodology in bolstering radar network resilience against reconnaissance threats while maintaining robust target detection capabilities. This research underscores the importance of optimizing radar resource management strategies to achieve a balanced trade-off between detection performance and stealth capability in practical deployment scenarios.