S-band radars operate on a wavelength of 8–15 cm and a frequency of 2–4 GHz which is less attenuated in propagation compared to other higher frequency bands. Lesser attenuation makes them useful for near- and far-range radars. The drawback to this band of radar is that it requires a large antenna and antenna array will be challenging.

C- and X-band radars operate at frequencies of 4–12 GHz which is more easily attenuated in propagation. Lesser attenuation makes them useful for near-range radars. The antenna size for C and X bands are small that helps to realize antenna arrays. The smaller dimensions also allow applications like turbulence and weather radar in the aerospace segment. Higher frequency bands like C and X allow higher bandwidth radar signals resulting in finer range resolution.