A method for locating a target is characterized in that it comprises the following steps: a) receiving, by means of N >=1 receivers (RR1, RR2, RR3), opportunity radio signals (SRE) transmitted by M>=1 transmitters (ER) and reflected by said target (C), in which N*M>=3, said or at least one of said transmitters being located out of sight of said or at least one of said receivers; b) receiving, by means of a data transmission link (LD), one or a plurality of so-called reference signals, representative of the radio signals transmitted by said or each of said transmitters located out of sight of said or at least one of said receivers; and c) determining the position of said target from said radio signals and from said reference signal or signals. The invention also relates to application of such a method to the primary monitoring of air traffic, a multistatic radar system for implementing such a method, and an air traffic monitoring system comprising, as primary radar, such a multistatic radar system.