Abstract: Target detection is the premise of target identification/tracking of the guidance radar. There are many factors which affect the detection performance of guidance radar, including radarrelated factors (such as frequency stability, the stability of the radar platform, motion characteristics of the radar platform, etc.), targetrelated factors (such as target structure, target motion characteristics, RCS fluctuations etc.), and environmentrelated factors (such as clutter characteristics, transmission characteristics, etc.). For the purpose of detection performance evaluation, this paper divides the factors into three levels, and analyzes the influencing factors of target characteristics, clutter characteristics and motion characteristics of the radar platform. First, guidance radar target detection based on range profile was derived from signal processing point of view, and then, this paper analyzed the various factors which impact on guidance radar target detection performance, derived some conclusions: under the general guidance radar system parameters, the radial acceleration can be ignored; target which have characteristics of non-fluctuating RCS, the more dense distribution of scattering centers, the more uniform distribution of scattering centers, the detection performance is better; clutter which have characteristics of the stronger reflectivity, the greater amplitude fluctuation, and the higher correlation, the detection performance is impacted worse. At last, the simulation results show correctness of the conclusions.