Stealth technology and advanced generation aircrafts

What is Stealth Technology?

Vivek Kapur, in his Monograph Series, ‘Stealth Technology and its Effect on Aerial Warfare’ writes that stealth technology is also known as Low Observable technology that is used with personnel, ships, aircraft, submarines, missiles, and satellites to avoid detection from radar, infrared, sonar, radiofrequency, etc (2014). Stealth technology reduces the ability of radar to recognize aircraft and missiles. Recently, research has been done more on military aircraft in association with stealth technology. It is because stealth technology gives the benefit of secrecy and surprise thus, empowering the military forces. With the low possibility of detection, aircraft can easily ‘camouflage’ and conduct their missions in foreign airspace.

History

Stealth in war is not a new concept. Since ancient times, wars have been fought with strategies and military tactics. For example, having a high location has been proved to be successful in spotting the enemy. Way before stealth technology, tactics such as camouflaging with war paint, guerrilla warfare, strapping soldiers’ bodies with leaves and grass, etc were used to achieve the ‘element of shock’ in battles.

During World War I, experiments were conducted to minimize the risks of detectability in aviation. Before experiments were conducted, soldiers used camouflage-pattern painted doped fabric to cover the wooden frames of aircraft. Technological advances introduced transparent materials that were much heavier than the fabric that in turn reduced the aircraft performance (Kapur, 2014). Other than experiments, various other ways were adopted to achieve ‘stealth’. Many times, pilots tried to confuse observers by hiding among the clouds to foil the enemy’s attack. The German forces also used the technique called “Hun in the Sun” where the attack used to be initiated from out of the sun. It made it difficult to spot the aircraft as it required the enemy aircraft to look into the blinding glare of the sun (Kapur, 2014). Both clouds and sun tactics were also used during World War II to delay the detection of aircraft in the old wars.

In the Cold War, the US air force used Lockheed U-2 or the Dragon Lady for intelligence gathering, surveillance, and reconnaissance. Unfortunately, U-2 was spotted by the Soviet Union and was shot down by a Soviet surface-to-air missile in 1960. It was these U-2 aircraft that took photographs of Soviet nuclear-armed missiles in Cuba, which confirmed the Cuban missile crises in 1962. The US realized that to carry on their spy missions, they required planes that could not be spotted by the enemy. This realization led to the creation of US A-12 / SR-71 ‘blackbird’ with a reduced likelihood of detection and exceeded speed of 2,000 mph. The aircraft was designed with surfaces to avoid reflecting radar signals and radar-absorbing elements were added to its paint (Martin, 2021). Blackbird proved to be a success for America as it dodged Soviet satellite observations and radars. In 1989, the USA used stealth fighter planes USAF F-117s for the first time in combat to bomb Panamanian Defense Force.

How Does Stealth Technology Work in Aircrafts?

Stealth technology aims to make an airplane invisible to radars. In their video, Techquickie explains the different types of ways in with stealth technology is used in aircraft. One strategy is to use cover the aircraft with materials that absorb radar signals. A special paint that contains tiny particles of iron oriented in a way that creates a magnetic field. Although radar normally reflects off of metal and returns to the radar station, the special orientation of the paint's magnetic field instead causes the waves to be absorbed and then dissipated as heat. It was first used on the F-117 Nighthawk (Techquickie, 2017).

Another strategy includes stealth-enhancing pyramids. Due to their shape, radar waves that hit specially configured pyramids reflect off of them repeatedly losing energy each time. The tiny pyramids can even be combined with paint helping direct radar waves to the iron particles. This strategy was used on the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. There are some new technologies also in the process of development such as nanotubes that can be grown into a layer of fibres that can absorb radar beams. It was rumoured that this strategy was used in the F-35 lightning, which was introduced in 2015 (Techquickie, 2017).

Furthermore, an aircraft can be shaped in a way to deflect or scatter radar beams in a different direction, away from the radar equipment. Stealth technology in aviation is used by designing aircraft with flat sharply angled surfaces. Commercial planes do not have such sharp edges and thus, their round bodies make it easier for them to get noticed on the radar. A perfectly flat surface can deflect a radar beam in a single predictable direction as opposed to a rounded surface, which scatters waves everywhere. However, there are some issues with flat-shaped aircraft. The old F-117 had sharp edges that made the plane unstable and difficult to fly. Therefore, new stealth aircraft like B-2, F-35, and F-22 Raptor have slight rounder surfaces (Techquickie, 2017). With the help of computers, engineers were able to run complex simulations to reduce the detectability of curves that these new aircraft possess.

Which countries have advanced generation aircraft?

Advanced generation aircraft are equipped with superior and advanced aircraft specifications, technology, armament fit, stealth technology, etc. Advanced generation aircraft possess skills including stealth, integrated avionics, electronic warfare and signals intelligence, aerial combat, air-to-surface missiles, laser-guided bombs, anti-radiation missiles, etc. According to Airforce Technology (2019), these are the top ten advanced generation aircraft along with the names of countries possessing them.

1.     Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II – USA

2.     Lockheed Martin/ Boeing F-22 Raptor – USA

3.     Chengdu J-20 – China

4.     Sukhoi Su- 57- Russia

5.     Eurofighter Typhoon – Europe

6.     Sukhoi Su-35- Russia

7.     Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet- USA

8.     Dassault Rafale – France

9.     Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle- USA

10.  Su-30 MKI (Flanker -H)- India (Designed by Russia, assembled under India’s Hindustan Aeronautics)

India and Stealth Technology

Since 2009, India is researching the development of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). AMCA is India’s first indigenous stealth fighter plane that is supposed by developed by the second half of 2021. Atul Chandra writes that AMCA is a “single-seat, medium-weight air force fighter” that is specially built with stealth technology. Its “radar cross-section [is] reduced through airframe design, divert fewer air intakes with serpentine ducts, stealth shaping, stealth materials, body conformal antennae, and an internal weapons bay” (Chandra, 2021).

The homegrown fighter plane is expected to be equipped with fifth-generation warfare such as multi-sensor data fusion (MSDF), 3D audio for enhanced situational awareness, advanced cockpit, quadruplex digital fly-by-wire control system, and stealth design features. India has also considered a partnership with France’s Dassault for technology transfer to make the engine of AMCA (Dar, 2021). With the development of AMCA, India would be able to place itself in the list of countries having Fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA). According to the Eurasian Times, there are only four combat-ready FGFA aircraft that include Lockheed Martin’s F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II, Chinese Chengdu J-20, and Russian Su-57 (Dar, 2021).

Importance of Stealth Aircrafts

Stealth technology is not novel but immemorial. It has been used by forces to keep track of the enemy forces. Stealth technology gives an upper hand to the military that uses it. Forces can observe their enemies and plan a surprise attack. It also helps the military to assume potential enemy moves. Its success in the aviation industry has turned it into an asset. Stealth technology added with fighter planes can provide the forces with a leverage in wars. Nonetheless, stealth technology can amplify mistrust. While it can be used for protecting national boundaries and interests, it can lead to an arms race. Nations lacking such technology would strive to develop stealth fighter aircraft thus intensifying the feeling of suspicion among the nations. For instance, many countries have also developed anti-stealth technologies where the radars use UHF/VHF waves to detect stealth aircraft. The development of stealth technology is expensive as it incurs the cost of tests and trials. Billions of dollars have been invested in stealth technology as it can be a matter of life and death for military forces. Nevertheless, stealth technology helps the forces to gain knowledge about the location of enemy forces and buys them sufficient time to achieve surprise and a decisive advantage in battles.

References

1.       Chandra, A. (2021, February 09). New Delhi forges ahead with new Naval fighter, AMCA. Retrieved July 16, 2021, from https://www.flightglobal.com/defence/new-delhi-forges-ahead-with-new-naval-fighter-amca/142338.article

2.     Dar, Y. (2021, April 12). HAL AMCA: Why India needs its Own lockheed-martin to DEVELOP 5th-gen, stealth Fighter Aircraft? Retrieved July 16, 2021, from https://eurasiantimes.com/hal-amca-why-india-needs-its-own-lockheed-martin-to-develop-5th-gen-stealth-fighter-aircraft/

3.      Kapur, V. (2014). Stealth Technology and its Effect on Aerial Warfare. IDSA Monograph Series, 1-106.

4.     Martin, L. (2021, January 10). Creating the blackbird. Retrieved July 16, 2021, from https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/news/features/history/blackbird.html

5.     Technology, Airforce. (2019, June 2). Top 10 advanced fighter aircraft. Retrieved July 16, 2021, from https://www.airforce-technology.com/features/feature-world-most-advanced-fighter-aircraft-f35/

6.     Techquickie (Director). (2017, November 24). How does stealth technology work? [Video file]. Retrieved July 16, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmUTml-X2SM

Pic Courtesy- the Moscow Times

(The views expressed are those of the author and do not represent views of CESCUBE.)