methods and systems relating to a cognitive tracking radar system . a radar system determines an immediately preceding state of a target being tracked . based on this immediately preceding state , the system determines parameters and waveforms which may be used to better illuminate the target . these parameters and waveforms are then used when illuminating the target . the state of the target is then measured from the reflected returns of the illuminating waveform . the newly received measurements then form the basis for the new state of the target and the procedure is repeated .