  This paper deals with joint adaptive radar detection and target bearing
estimation in the presence of mutual coupling among the array elements. First
of all, a suitable model of the signal received by the multichannel radar is
developed via a linearization procedure of the Uniform Linear Array (ULA)
manifold around the nominal array looking direction together with the use of
symmetric Toeplitz structured matrices to represent the mutual coupling
effects. Hence, the Generalized Likelihood Ratio Test (GLRT) detector is
evaluated under the assumption of homogeneous radar environment. Its
computation leverages a specific Minorization-Maximization (MM) framework, with
proven convergence properties, to optimize the concentrated likelihood function
under the target presence hypothesis. Besides, when the number of active mutual
coupling coefficients is unknown, a Multifamily Likelihood Ratio Test (MFLRT)
approach is invoked. During the analysis phase, the performance of the new
detectors is compared with benchmarks as well as with counterparts available in
the open literature which neglect the mutual coupling phenomenon. The results
indicate that it is necessary to consider judiciously the coupling effect since
the design phase, to guarantee performance levels close to the benchmark.
