Aircraft radar works by transmitting radio waves in pulses and then receiving the echoes that bounce back from objects in the environment, including other aircraft. The radar system on board an aircraft typically includes a transmitter that generates short pulses of radio frequency energy, which are emitted into the surrounding airspace through an antenna. These pulses travel outward at the speed of light, and upon encountering objects like other planes, birds, or terrain, some of the energy reflects back toward the plane.
The radar can detect flying planes by analyzing the timing and strength of echoes that return to the plane’s receiver after bouncing off nearby objects. When radar pulses strike an airborne target, such as another aircraft, some of the energy is reflected back to the transmissive aircraft. The aircraft’s radar receiver detects these reflected signals and by measuring the time it takes for the signals to return and analyzing their characteristics (such as Doppler shift), the radar system can determine the presence, distance and relative speed of the speed detected aircraft.
The range of aircraft radar varies depending on factors such as the power of the radar transmitter, the design of the antenna system and atmospheric conditions. Typically, modern aircraft radar systems can detect other aircraft at distances ranging from tens to hundreds of kilometers. Effective range also depends on the size and altitude of the target aircraft, as larger and higher aircraft are generally easier to detect at longer ranges due to their larger radar cross section (RCS) . Radar range can also be affected by weather conditions, terrain and obstacles which can attenuate or reflect radar signals.