Radar Range Equation Calculator
Radar system electromagnetics: Solve the classic radar range equation for maximum detection range (R_max), received power (P_r), and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
Transmitter & Antenna Parameters
Detection Range & Sensitivity
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does radar detection range depend on the fourth root of transmitter power?
Unlike two-way communication where signal drops with distance squared (1/R²), radar signals must travel out to the target and then scatter back to the antenna. The outbound power density drops as 1/(4πR²), and the intercepted backscattered echo drops by another 1/(4πR²), resulting in an inverse fourth-power relationship: Pr ∝ 1/R⁴. To double detection range, transmitter power must increase by sixteen-fold (2⁴ = 16).
What is Radar Cross Section (RCS) in square meters versus dBsm?
Radar Cross Section (σ) is a fictitious area that would intercept that amount of incident power which, if scattered isotropically, would produce at the receiver the same power density as the actual target. In decibels relative to one square meter: dBsm = 10 * log10(σ). A commercial airliner has σ ≈ 40 m² (+16 dBsm), a small yacht has σ ≈ 2 m² (+3 dBsm), while a stealth aircraft has σ ≈ 0.0001 m² (-40 dBsm).
How does pulse integration improve radar signal-to-noise ratio?
When an antenna scans across a target, it strikes it with a train of multiple pulses (N pulses per beam dwell). Integrating these pulses coherently in digital signal processors boosts SNR by up to a factor of N (coherent integration), or roughly sqrt(N) for non-coherent post-detection integration, significantly extending R_max.