Virtual Marine Arsenal

POFacets is an implementation of the physical optics approximation for predicting the radar cross section (RCS) of complex objects. It utilizes the scientific computational features of commercial code MatLab and its GUI functions. The Physical Optics (PO) approximation is one of the RCS prediction methods for an arbitrary three-dimensional target.

POFacets provides a convenient tool for a "first cut" at the RCS of complex shapes by representing its constituent parts by triangular facets. The software calculates the monostatic or bistatic RCS of the object for  the parameters specified by the user and displays plots for the model geometry and its RCS.

There is a limited capability to include shadowing, and resistive surfaces can also be modeled. The simplicity of the GUI design does not require the user to have a detailed understanding of the various steps involved in the RCS calculation.

POFacets approximates scattering objects by arrays of triangles (facets) and uses superposition is used to  compute the total RCS of the object. The GUI consists of three modules:

1. Design Model
2. Calculate Monostatic RCS
3. Calculate Bistatic RCS

The program allows creation of a model comprised of triangular facets with options for approximating the  roughness of the surface. It also calculates the monostatic or bistatic radar cross sections of designed models  given certain computational parameters.