Comparison of the computed and measured RCS of a helicopter

Isabelle D. De Leeneer; Alain R. F. Barel; Emile J. Schweicher

doi:10.1117/12.243018

17 June 1996 Comparison of the computed and measured RCS of a helicopter

Isabelle D. De Leeneer, Alain R. F. Barel, Emile J. Schweicher

Proceedings Volume 2742, Targets and Backgrounds: Characterization and Representation II; (1996) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.243018
Event: Aerospace/Defense Sensing and Controls, 1996, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

To validate the computed RCS of a helicopter, its RCS was measured. Since no RCS measurement site exists in Belgium, we improvised one. The search for a measurement site, for a mobile radar and for a suitable calibration sphere were some of the problems we had to deal with. When starting the measurements we immediately realized that due to the high clutter level the calibration sphere and the helicopter had to be brought much closer to the radar, so that the far field conditions were not satisfied anymore. However, this seemed not to influence too much the results. On a rainy day, when the helicopter could not take off, we measured the RCS of a Volvo truck. The analysis of these measurements allowed us to observe if the presence of wet ground influenced the importance of the ground reflections. Finally we compared the measured RCS of the helicopter to the computed RCS, and while an acceptable agreement was found for the amplitudes of the peaks, we observed that the minima present in the computed RCS were not found back in the measured RCS. This is probably also due to the relatively high clutter level.

Citation Download Citation

Isabelle D. De Leeneer, Alain R. F. Barel, and Emile J. Schweicher "Comparison of the computed and measured RCS of a helicopter", Proc. SPIE 2742, Targets and Backgrounds: Characterization and Representation II, (17 June 1996); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.243018

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