Abstract This paper aims to solve the problem of distributed joint detection, tracking and classification (D‐JDTC) of a target on a peer‐to‐peer sensor network. The target can be present or not, can belong to different classes, and depending on its class can behave according to different kinematic modes. Accordingly, it is modelled as a suitably extended Bernoulli random finite set (RFS) uniquely characterized by existence, classification, class‐conditioned mode and class & mode‐conditioned state probability d…