X-band radar

X-band radar is the short-wavelength marine radar working in the 9300 to 9500 MHz band, near 9.4 GHz and roughly 3 cm wavelength, fitted alongside the longer S-band set under SOLAS Chapter V carriage rules. The short wavelength gives sharp bearing discrimination and strong returns from small targets, buoys, and RACONs, which makes it the primary set for collision avoidance, parallel indexing, and harbor work. The trade-off is heavy attenuation in rain and sea clutter, so officers switch to S-band, 2900 to 3100 MHz, in heavy precipitation. RACON and SART responses are designed for the X-band.