FCCD-SAR: A Lightweight SAR ATR Algorithm Based on FasterNet

In recent times, the realm of remote sensing has witnessed a remarkable surge in the area of deep learning, specifically in the domain of target recognition within synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. However, prevailing deep learning models have often placed undue emphasis on network depth and width while disregarding the imperative requirement for a harmonious equilibrium between accuracy and speed. To address this concern, this paper presents FCCD-SAR, a SAR target recognition algorithm based on the lightweight FasterNet network. Initially, a lightweight and SAR-specific feature extraction backbone is meticulously crafted to better align with SAR image data. Subsequently, an agile upsampling operator named CARAFE is introduced, augmenting the extraction of scattering information and fortifying target recognition precision. Moreover, the inclusion of a rapid, lightweight module, denoted as C3-Faster, serves to heighten both recognition accuracy and computational efficiency. Finally, in cognizance of the diverse scales and vast variations exhibited by SAR targets, a detection head employing DyHead’s attention mechanism is implemented to adeptly capture feature information across multiple scales, elevating recognition performance on SAR targets. Exhaustive experimentation on the MSTAR dataset unequivocally demonstrates the exceptional prowess of our FCCD-SAR algorithm, boasting a mere 2.72 M parameters and 6.11 G FLOPs, culminating in an awe-inspiring 99.5% mean Average Precision (mAP) and epitomizing its unparalleled proficiency.