Conceptual Analysis of Radar Cross-Section Measurments on Compact Ranges

Authors: Doren W. Ress, Richard c. Johnson
Publication: AMTA 1982
Copyright Owner: NSI-MI Technologies

A strong emphasis is now being placed on techniques for reduction of radar cross-section, A missile or aircraft which is invisible to radar has an important strategic advantage. With this fact in mind, the user of a weapons system may place an upper limit on the radar cross-section that he will permit his missile or aircraft to have. The designer must then make use of "stealth technology" to reduce the cross-section to an acceptable level, In order to verify the design, radar cross-section measurements must be made. Thus the current emphasis on cross-section reduction leads to an important need for accurate and reliable methods of measuring radar cross-section.

In this article a method of radar cross-section measurement is described. It utilizes a compact range configuration, More widely used as a tool for measuring the radiation patterns of microwave antennas, the compact range can also be applied to the problem of radar cross-section measurement. A heuristic development which illustrates the principles of compact range operation is presented and the coupling equations for both the antenna measurement and the radar cross section measurement cases are derived.