Radar cross section (RCS) reduction technologies are very important in survivability of the militarynaval vessels. Ship appearance shaping as an effective countermeasure of RCS reduction redirects the scatteredenergy from one angular region of interest in space to another region of little interest. To decrease the scatteringelectromagnetic signals from ship scientifically, optimization methods should be introduced in shaping design.Based on the assumption of the characteristic section design method, mathematical formulations for optimalshaping design were established. Because of the computation-intensive analysis and singularity in shapingoptimization, the response surface method (RSM) combined genetic algorithm (GA) was proposed. The poly-nomial response surface method was adopted in model approximation. Then genetic algorithms were employedto solve the surrogate optimization problem. By comparison RCS of the conventional and the optimal design,the superiority and effectiveness of proposed design methodology were verified.Ky words: radar cross section (RCS); characteristic section design method; response surface method; genetic algorithm (GA) was proposed. The polynomial response surface method was adopted in model approximation. Then genetic algorithms were employed to solve the surrogate optimization problem. By comparison RCS of the conventional and the optimal design, the superiority and effectiveness of proposed design methodology were verified.