RCS imaging: theory and practice

It is pointed out that the successful utilization of RCS (radar cross section) imaging requires three vital elements: (1) an effective measurement program; (2) the ability to understand the data products; and (3) the ability to translate that understanding into an effective course of action. Full utilization of the information contained in a set of wideband RCS measurements requires at least some working knowledge of the effects of digital signal processing on well-known generic scattering features. Processing modeled data for a particular target under test shows exactly how the measured imagery should appear if no error or noise sources were present. This knowledge allows the analyst to study the actual measured data much more critically. Such conditions can lead to improved understanding of the target under test, and ultimately to improved RCS designs