Radar Cross Section

Radar Cross Section (RCS) is a measure of how easily an object can be detected by radar. It is one of the most critical parameters for enhancing the survivability of modern military platforms (aircraft, ships, missiles, etc.), achieved by reducing their RCS to gain “stealth” capability. Radar systems operate by transmitting an electromagnetic wave toward a target and analyzing the signal reflected back from it. RCS is the area that quantifies how effectively the target reflects incident radar power back toward the source and is measured in square meters (m²). The larger a target’s RCS, the more easily and at greater distances it can be detected by radar. RCS can be expressed as:

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