Chapter 14

Radar Cross Section (RCS)

This chapter was coauthored with Mr. Walton C. Gibson.1

14.1. RCS Definition

Electromagnetic waves, with any specified polarization, are normally diffracted or scattered in all directions when incident on a target. These scattered waves are broken down into two parts. The first part is made of waves that have the same polarization as the receiving antenna. The other portion of the scattered waves will have a different polarization to which the receiving antenna does not respond. The two polarizations are orthogonal and are referred to as the Principal Polarization (PP) and Orthogonal Polarization (OP), respectively. The intensity of the backscattered energy that has the same polarization as the radar's receiving ...

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