1. A method of identifying a target in a range image of a scene, comprising: receiving target parameter values for a plurality of target parameters for a target hypothesis, wherein said plurality of target parameters are selected from the group of parameters describing location and orientation of said target, wherein said range image R is mathematically defined as R={(r ij ),i=1,. .. b,j=1. .. c}, where b represents the number of columns of pixels in said sensor range image, c represents the number of rows of pixels in said sensor range image, and r ij represents the range between an object at point ij in said sensor range image and said sensor; electronically generating a synthetic range image of said scene for said target hypothesis by rendering a 3-D wire grid model of a plurality of 3-D wire models of targets to be identified at said target parameter values; wherein one of said plurality of 3-D models has a surface which is a match to a surface of said target, where said synthetic range image R s is mathematically defined as R s ={r ij s ,i=1,. .. b,j=1. .. c}, where b represents the number of columns of pixels in said sensor range image, c represents the number of rows of pixels in said sensor range image, and r ij s represents the range between an object at point ij in said synthetic range image and said sensor, wherein said generating a synthetic range image is performed using a graphics processing unit; electronically computing a matching score C for said target hypothesis, where said matching score C is mathematically defined as C = ∑ v = 0 k ⁢ ∑ i = 0 b ⁢ ∑ j = 0 c ⁢ { var ⁢ ⁢ 2 d i ⁢ ⁢ j < T var ⁢ ⁢ 3 d i ⁢ ⁢ j ≥ T , where T = L ⁡ ( 1 2 ) v , where L is a first pre-determined value, where var2 is a second pre-determined value, where var3 is a third pre-determined value, where said second pre-determined value is greater than said third pre-determined value, where k is a fourth pre-determined value, where d ij is a discrepancy between said sensor range image and said synthetic range image at location ij of said synthetic range image and is mathematically defined as d ij = { Minimum ⁡ ( ( r ij S - N ij ) 2 ) if ⁢ ⁢ f i , j S = true var ⁢ ⁢ 1 if ⁢ ⁢ f i , j S = false , where var1 is a fifth pre-determined value, where said fifth pre-determined value is greater than or equal said first pre-determined value, where N ij is mathematically defined as N ij ={(r mn ,m),m=(i−h),. .. (i+h),n=(j−w),. .. (j+w)}, where h is a sixth pre-determined value and w is a seventh pre-determined value; electronically determining whether said matching score C exceeds a pre-determined threshold score; and electronically identifying said target model located and positioned according to said target parameter values to be a match to said target when said matching score C exceeds said pre-determined threshold score.