RCS computation in near field

This communication presents a physical optics based method developed by CELAR to calculate radar cross section (RCS) in function of the distance separating the target and the radar system. Initially this method has been developed to calculate RCS in the same geometrical configurations than the measurements performed in the CELAR facilities. So, after a short presentation of RCS measurement facilities of CELAR, this paper will expose the method developed to calculate near field RCS. Comparisons between measurements and calculations will be shown to validate the method. Then, some applications will be given on canonical and complex targets. For flat circular and square plates, particular phenomena will be detailed and some analytical approximated formula will be proposed to express their monostatic specular RCS