The Radar Range Equation

The radar range equation represents the physical dependencies of the transmit power, which is the wave propagation up to the receiving of the echo signals. The power Pe returning to the receiving antenna is given by the radar equation, depending on the transmitted power Ps, the slant range R, and the reflecting characteristics of the aim (described as the radar cross section σ). At the known sensibility of the radar receiver, the radar equation determines the achieved by a given radar theoretically maximum range. Furthermore, one can assess the performance of the radar set with the radar range equation (or shorter: the radar equation).