A CFAR algorithm for radar detection under severe interference

A new radar constant false alarm rate (CFAR) detection algorithm operating under severe interference is developed in this paper. The new CFAR algorithm, designated as switching CFAR (S-CFAR), is presented and analysed in closed-form based on Swerling I nonhomogeneous clutter and target model. Mathematical analysis demonstrates that the S-CFAR is robust when up to half of the search region is occupied by interfering samples. The S-CFAR algorithm is useful in applications where a radar performs detection in a clear region of its range and/or Doppler profile with an unknown number of interfering target (and possibly jamming) samples. S-CFAR implementation is also simple since no sample ordering is required.