What radar signal characteristic is the greatest contributor to the useful detection range of a radar system?

The characteristic that greatly influences the useful detection range of a radar system is transmission power. This is because higher transmission power allows the radar signals to travel further without significant loss of strength. The ability to transmit a strong signal means that it can reflect off distant objects and return with enough energy to be detected by the radar system. In essence, greater transmission power increases the chances of detecting targets that are at a greater distance, thereby enhancing overall detection capability.

While signal frequency, signal processing, and pulse duration play important roles in radar performance, their contributions to range are generally secondary to that of transmission power. Signal frequency can affect resolution and behavior in various media, signal processing determines how effectively the signals can be interpreted, and pulse duration can influence the ability to differentiate between targets, but none of them directly impacts the distance at which a radar system can detect objects as fundamentally as transmission power does.