A Near-Field to Far-Field RCS Measurement Method for Multiple-Scattering Target

It is challenging to perform the near-field to far-field transformation with a high precision for the multiple-scattering targets using the conventional monostatic radar cross section (RCS) measurement. In this paper, a novel near-field to far-field transformation method with bistatic RCS measurement is proposed. First, the RCS measurement is perceived as a double radiation model. Doing this, the relationship of near-field data and far-field data at different angles is derived, and the convolution function is given under the cylindrical wave. Second, the near-field scattering data are acquired using the proposed bistatic RCS measurement method that combines one transmission and multiple receptions with the rotation of a revolving table. The near-field data are then extrapolated twice with the convolution function, and the far-field RCS are obtained accordingly. Moreover, this paper also analyzes the truncation angular and sampling intervals for the measurement consideration. Finally, the effectiveness and the high precision of the proposed transformation approach for the multiple-scattering target are demonstrated using the numerical simulations and the experimental characterization with an example of dihedral structures.