Using long wavelength radar does have certain disadvantages compared to radar systems operating at shorter wavelengths. Here are some of the main drawbacks:
Lower Resolution: Long wavelength radar typically results in lower resolution compared to shorter wavelength radar systems. This is because the resolution of a radar system is inversely proportional to the wavelength of the transmitted signal. Longer wavelengths lead to larger beam widths and wider range resolution cells, making it more challenging to distinguish and detect smaller targets or objects in close proximity.
Reduced Target Discrimination: Longer wavelength radar may have difficulty in accurately distinguishing between multiple targets in close proximity. The larger beam width can result in overlapping returns from different objects, making it harder to separate and identify individual targets.
Increased Atmospheric Attenuation: Long wavelength radar signals can experience higher levels of atmospheric attenuation. This attenuation occurs as the radar signal propagates through the atmosphere, resulting in signal degradation and reduced effective range. This can limit the detection range and effectiveness of the radar system.
Susceptibility to Clutter: Longer wavelength radar signals are more susceptible to clutter, including unwanted reflections from terrain, buildings, vegetation, and other objects. This can result in increased background noise and interference, potentially affecting the radar's ability to detect and track targets accurately.
Limited Target Stealth: Longer wavelength radar signals may have difficulty detecting and tracking small or stealthy targets that are designed to minimize their radar cross-section (RCS). Stealth technologies are often optimized to reduce the reflectivity at specific radar frequencies, which may be less effective against longer wavelength radar systems.
Larger Antenna Size: To achieve efficient radiation and reception of longer wavelength signals, larger antenna sizes are often required. This can pose challenges in terms of practicality, portability, and cost, particularly in applications where space or weight constraints are important.
It's important to note that despite these disadvantages, long wavelength radar systems also offer certain advantages in specific applications. For instance, they can penetrate foliage and certain types of materials better than shorter wavelength radar, making them useful in applications such as foliage-penetrating radar or ground-penetrating radar. The choice of radar wavelength depends on the specific requirements and trade-offs for a given application.