Required Performance Levels for Autocueing Devices

Abstract

Acquisition of tactical targets embedded in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery was examined in this study. Experienced radar operators saw static scenes with either nine/five, two, or zero possible targets annotated, representing the application of three hypothetical autocueing devices and a no-autocueing baseline condition. In the autocueing conditions, the true target was always annotated, along with a variable number of false alarms, based upon the sophistication of the hypothesized autocuer. With time and probabilty performance measures taken, a significant improvement in target acquisition behavior was achieved only with the most sophisticated autocuer. This was most evident for the more difficult target types.