A comparison of fully polarimetric X-band ISAR imagery of scaled model tactical targets

Construction of the new 350GHz compact range has been completed and it is able to collect fully polarimetric scaled Xband radar data with 6-inch full-scale range resolution. In order to investigate the reproduction of X-band data using scale models, fully polarimetric high-resolution radar signature data has been collected on several targets which include a high-fidelity in-house built 1/16 scale T72 Main Battle Tank (MBT) and a commercially available 1/35 scale model T72 modified to match its features. A correlation study of ISAR images has been performed between the X-band data sets collected on these models, a full-scale T72, a 1/35 scale model heavy equipment transporter, and several different 1/16 scaled targets of similar size. The ISAR images formed from the data were compared using several techniques which include a two-dimensional cross-correlation of the images against one another, and the comparison of the images pixel-by-pixel to measure the percentage differences. It will be shown that the T72 data sets compare well across the three different radar platforms. It has also been found that there are persistent sharp features in the two-dimensional cross-correlation maps that are located where the real target is matched even when other parameters have changed by a significant amount. These features continue to occur when the target has been imbedded in a complex two-target scene with the heavy equipment transporter.