AbstractTo interpret the essential characteristics of the sea echo backscattered from the ocean surface, the first‐ and second‐order ocean surface cross sections are mathematically derived for an omnidirectional receiving sensor in monostatic shipborne high‐frequency surface wave radar (HFSWR), where the uniform linear motion and sway motion are involved simultaneously. The derived cross sections could be reduced to the existing results in HFSWR on a floating platform, shipborne HFSWR with uniform linear motion, and even a stationary land‐based HFSWR. The illustrations and discussions are presented based on the simulated Doppler spectra under different situations. Aside from the Bragg lines broadening due to the uniform linear motion and its variation with wind direction, the sway motion generates additional Doppler spectra, which emerge with the uniform spacing of sway frequency. The theoretical derivations and analyses based on simulations may be of importance to future investigations and applications, not only in target detection but also in ocean remote sensing.