Detecting system having a coherent sparse aperture

A system for detecting a target object through foliage and determining the target object's location, said system comprising:

• a transmitter for generating an electromagnetic signal for reflection from said target object, said signal having a frequency less than approximately eight hundred megahertz (800 MHz) and a bandwidth less than approximately one hundred kilohertz (100 kHz);
• a plurality of mutually dispersed sensors for receiving said reflected signal from said target and generating signal information therefrom;
• a central processor for receiving said signal information from each said sensor and coherently processing said signal information to determine the location of said target object;
• and
• at least one wireless link to send signal information from a said sensor to said central processor.

A method for determining a target object location, said method comprising the steps of:

• transmitting an electromagnetic signal for reflection from said target object, said signal having a frequency less than approximately eight hundred megahertz (800 MHz);
• receiving said reflected signal at a plurality of mutually dispersed locations and generating received signal information therefrom;
• transmitting signal information from at least one sensor over a wireless link to a central processor;
• and
• using said received signal information in a beamformer algorithm at said central processor to resolve the location of said target.