Wideband Radar Cross Section Diagnostic Measurements

This paper describes a diagnostic radar cross section (RCS) measurement system which uses a low-power, wideband, linear-FM radar to provide RCS responses of targets as a function of frequency, range, cross range, and angle. Range and frequency responses are produced by using an FFT analyzer and a desktop computer to perform on-line signal processing and provide rapid access to final results. Two-dimensional maps of the target RCS distribution in range and cross range are obtained by off-line processing of recorded data. The system processes signals resulting from a swept bandwidth exceeding 3 GHz to provide range resolution of less than 10 cm. The various operating modes of the instrumentation provide a powerful tool for RCS diagnostic efforts in which individual scattering sources must be isolated and characterized. Several examples of results obtained from measurements of a number of simple and complex shapes are presented to demonstrate the utility and performance limits of the instrumentation.