The Monostatic/Bistatic Approximation

Many Radar Cross Section (RCS) prediction codes are limited to one monostatic return per run. However, such codes can calculate multiple bistatic returns per incident angle for a relatively small amount of additional computer resources. This note describes a method of using bistatic returns to generate multiple monostatic predictions for each incident angle computed. Typical results are presented and show the accuracy is initially good and then degrades as the separation angle between the incident and viewing angles becomes large. Introduction Since 1990, the monostatic/bistatic approximation has been used to reduce the number of runs required by finite-volume time-domain (FVTD) codes for making RCS versus azimuth plots. This approximation was spawned by the observation of a range test where the transmit and receive antennas were separated by a few degrees to prevent cross talk between the antennas. The measurements from this range are presented as monostatic RCS rather than bistatic: RCS. The procedure of reporting experimental bistatic RCS as the monostatic RCS at the angle bisecting the transmit and receive antennas was extended to FVTD codes and produces excellent results.