When a radar system emits radio waves and receives a strong enough return signal to display a target on the screen, operators say they have painted the target. It implies a solid, continuous track rather than a fleeting blip. The term is heavily used in air traffic control and military aviation to confirm that an aircraft is visible to the tracking system and not flying blind or in stealth.
Approach, I'm still not painting the traffic you called out at my one o'clock.
If a controller says they cannot paint you, check your transponder settings immediately.
Related terms
Radar cross section
A measure of how detectable an aircraft or object is to radar systems.
Stealth
Design techniques and materials used to make an aircraft or vessel nearly invisible to radar and thermal detection.
Bandit
A bandit is a military brevity term for an aircraft positively identified as an enemy.