Radar Range Equation
Basic to understanding radar is understanding the radar range equation by examining each of its components: transmitted energy, reflected energy, system noise, and system losses.
The maximum RF energy on target is essentially the effective radiated power (ERP) of the radar reduced by the inverse square law (1/R2).
pulse width
peak power
antenna gain
The reflected energy is only a fraction of the incident energy p and a factor called the radar cross section (RCS) of the target. In essence, RCS is a measure of how well radio waves reflect from the target.
signal energy
peak power
antenna gain
effective aperture of the receiver antenna
radar cross section (RCS) of the target
range to the target