Methodology to project RCS measurement accuracy

RCS (radar cross section) measurement accuracy is addressed through error budget projections that require first- and second-order statistics of an RSS sum of the random errors added to the arithmetic sum of the mean errors. Individual error sources grouped by the instrumentation radar, the target illumination, and the reception of the scattered signal are listed along with their statistical forms. Methods of measurement and estimation of the statistics are reviewed. RCS measurement accuracy cannot be quantified by a single number but depends on the target scattering mechanisms and RCS level. Furthermore, the accuracy of an absolute RCS level differs from the accuracy with which relative RCS levels can be distinguished.<>