1. A method for processing received return signals in a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system, including: receiving, with a receiver of the SAR system, a plurality of pulsed radar return signals over a time period corresponding to a plurality of data frames; with at least one processor of the SAR system: processing the received return signals to generate a SAR image for each of the single data frames; processing a plurality of the single data frames, the processing including identifying targets as having characteristics associated with one or more predetermined motion classes according to phase changes sensed between data frames; and generating, with a display coupled to the at least one processor, a visual indication of targets associated with a predetermined motion class, and overlaying the visual indication of targets associated with a predetermined motion class onto one of the SAR images, wherein each of the one or more motion classes is predefined by a respective one or more parametric models, each model representing a discrete type of motion stored in a memory device.