A fast CFAR detection space-time adaptive processing algorithm

All of the conventional CFAR detection algorithms that use space-time proce ssing involve a time-consuming matrix-inversion operation, Based on today's technology, this computational complexity sometimes makes the full-rank so lution difficult to realize. In this correspondence, a CFAR detection algor ithm, which does not need a matrix inversion, is developed by an adaptation and extension of Hotelling's principal-component method studied recently b y Kirsteins and Tufts. Finally, the performance of the new CFAR test statis tic is analyzed, and the effect of the rank reduction on performance is eva luated for an example scenario.