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ALTH TECHNOLOGY
From the late years of World War II to today's computer enabled design
changes, stealth has been a major factor in the improvement of
reconnaissance and attack aircraft. The term "stealth", is thought to have
been coined in 1966 by Charles E. "Chuck" Myers, combat pilot and later an
exec at Lockheed. When we think of stealth today, immediately images of the
B-2 bomber or the F-117A Nighthawk fighter come to mind.
In simple terms, stealth technology allows an aircraft to be partially invisible
to Radar or any other means of detection. This doesn't allow the aircraft to
be fully invisible on radar. Stealth technology cannot make the aircraft
invisible to enemy or friendly radar. All it can do is to reduce the detection
range or an aircraft. This is similar to the camouflage tactics used by
soldiers in jungle warfare. Unless the soldier comes near you, you can't see
him. Though this gives a clear and safe striking distance for the aircraft,
there is still a threat from radar systems, which can detect stealth aircraft.[1]
Stealth technology is expanded into each of those areas which seek to detect
the aircraft, ships & missiles. Thus it is essential to develop visual, infrared
acoustic and radar stealth. However many countries have announced that
they have developed counter-stealth techniques that allow them to negate
[2]
stealth.
2. STEALTH PRINCIPLE
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The concept behind the stealth technology is very simple. As a matter of fact
it is totally the principle of reflection and absorption that makes aircraft
"stealthy". Deflecting the incoming radar waves into another direction and
thus reducing the number of waves does this, which returns to the radar.
Another concept that is followed is to absorb the incoming radar waves
totally and to redirect the absorbed electromagnetic energy in another
direction. What ever may be the method used, the level of stealth an aircraft
can achieve depends totally on the design and the substance with which it is
[2]
made of.
2.1 THE KEY FEATURES OF STEALTH
-Unusual Design
-Outer Paint
-Reduce Heat Exhaust Signatures
-Eliminate High Altitude Contrails
-Eliminate Brown Exhaust
[3]
Fig.2.1.1: T-50 STEALTH FIGHTER
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3. INTRODUCTION TO RADIO DETECTION AND RANGING
Radar is a system that uses electromagnetic waves to identify the range,
altitude, direction, or speed of both moving and fixed objects such as
aircraft, ships.
A radar system has a transmitter that emits either microwaves or radio
waves that are reflected by the target and detected by a receiver, typically in
the same location as the transmitter. Although the signal returned is
usually very weak, the signal can be amplified. This enables radar to detect
objects at ranges where other emissions, such as sound or visible light,
would be too weak to detect. Radar is used in many contexts, including
meteorological detection of precipitation, measuring ocean surface waves, air
[4]
traffic control, police detection of speeding traffic, and by the military.
3.1 PRINCIPLE
A radar dish or antenna sends out pulses of radio waves or microwaves.
These waves bounce off any object in their path, and return to the dish,
which detects them. The time it takes for the reflected waves to return to the
dish enables a computer to calculate how far away the object is, its radial
[4]
velocity and other characteristics.
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One way to measure the distance to an object is to transmit a short pulse of
radio signal (electromagnetic radiation), and measure the time it takes for
the reflection to return .The distance target is one half the product of the
time taken by the radiated signal to travel to the target and back to the
receiver and the speed of the signal radiated.[4]
3.3 FREQUENCY MODULATION
Another form of distance measuring radar is based on frequency
modulation. Frequency comparison between two signals is considerably
more accurate, even with older electronics, than timing the signal. By
changing the frequency of the returned signal and comparing that with the
original, the difference can be easily measured.[4]
3.4 SPEED MEASUREMENT
Speed is the change in distance to an object with respect to time. Speed
measurement is done by using the technique of droppler effect. The radar
beam is fired at the moving target. As it recedes from the radar source, each
successive wave has to travel further to reach the car, before being reflected
and re detected near the source. As each wave has to move further the gap
between each wave increases. This shows a change in the spectrum of the
[4]
waves.
3.5 SIZE MEASUREMENT
The size of targets image on radar is measured by the radar cross section
(RCS) measured in Square meters .This does not equal geometric area .A
perfectly Conducting sphere of projected cross-sectional area 1 m2. RADAR
wavelength much less than the diameter of the sphere .RCS is independent
of frequency , Conversely ,a flat plate of area 1 m2 will have an RCs of
almost 14000 m2 at 10GHz if the radar is perpendicular to the flat surface
since it will reflect the signal right back to the radar antenna from where it
came. By reflecting much of the radiation away from the antenna or
[4]
absorbing it altogether, the target achievers smaller radar cross section.
4. STEALTH SHIP
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A stealth ship is a ship which employs stealth technology construction
techniques in an effort to ensure that it is harder to detect by one or more of
radar, visual, sonar, and infrared methods. These techniques borrow from
stealth aircraft technology, although some aspects such as wake and
acoustic signature reduction are unique to stealth ships' design.
Reduction of radar cross section (RCS), visibility and noise is not unique to
stealth ships; visual masking has been employed for over two centuries and
RCS reduction traces back to American and Soviet ships of the Cold War.
One common feature is the inward-sloping tumblehome hull design that
[5]
significantly reduces the RCS.
[6]
Fig.4.1: STEALTH SHIP
4.1 SHAPING
In designing a ship with reduced radar signature, the main concerns are
radar beams originating near or slightly above the horizon (as seen from the
ship) coming from distant patrol aircraft, other ships or sea-skimming anti-
ship missiles with active radar seekers. Therefore, the shape of the ship
avoids vertical surfaces, which would perfectly reflect any such beams
directly back to the emitter. Retro-reflective right angles are eliminated to
avoid causing the cat's eye effect. A stealthy ship shape can be achieved by
constructing the hull and superstructure with a series of slightly protruding
and retruding surfaces. This design was developed by several German
shipyards, and is thus extensively applied on ships of the German Navy.[5]
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5. RAS
RAS or Radar absorbent surfaces are the surfaces on the aircraft, which can
deflect the incoming radar waves and reduce the detection range. RAS works
due to the angles at which the structures on the aircraft's fuselage or the
fuselage itself are placed. These structures can be anything from wings to a
refueling boom on the aircraft. The extensive use of RAS is clearly visible in
the F-117 "Night Hawk". Due to the facets (as they are called) on the
fuselage, most of the incoming radar waves are reflected to another
direction. Due to these facets on the fuselage, the F-117 is a very unstable
aircraft.[1]
[8]
Fig. 5.1: CONVENTIONAL AND STEALTH AIRCRAFT
The concept behind the RAS is that of reflecting a light beam from a torch
with a mirror. The angle at which the reflection takes place is also more
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important. When we consider a mirror being rotated from 0o to 90o, the
amount of light that is reflected in the direction of the light beam is more. At
90o, maximum amount of light that is reflected back to same direction as
the light beam's source. On the other hand when the mirror is tilted above
90o and as it proceeds to 180o, the amount of light reflected in the same
direction decreases drastically. This makes the aircraft like F-117 stealthy.[1]
6. RAM
Radar absorbent surfaces absorb the incoming radar waves rather than
deflecting it in another direction. ‘Radar absorbent Material’ totally depends
on the surface of the aircraft is made. Though the composition of this
material is a top secret. The F-117 extensively uses RAM to reduce its radar
[1]
signature or its radar cross section.
[7]
Fig.6.1.1 RADAR ABSORBENT MATERIAL
The RAS is believed to be silicon based inorganic compound. The RAM
coating over the B-2 is placed like wrapping a cloth over the plane. When
radar sends a beam in the direction of the B-2, the radar waves are
absorbed by the plane’s surface and are redirected to another direction after
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it is absorbed. This reduces the radar signature of the aircraft. A Jaumann
absorber or Jaumann layer is a radar absorbent device. The Foam absorber
is applied to the chamber walls with the tips of the pyramids pointing
inward or toward the radar. As a radar wave strikes a pyramid, it
experiences a gradual transition from free space at the tip of the pyramid to
[1]
absorbing foam at the base.
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[11]
FIG.7.1.1 VISUAL STEALTH PLANE-HAWK GB
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[14]
Fig.7.2.1 Thermal infrared image - US Military F117 Stealth
Engines for stealth aircraft are specifically built to have a very low IR
signature. Another main aspect that reduces the IR signature of a stealth
aircraft is to place the engines deep into the fuselage. This is done in stealth
aircraft like the B-2, F-22 and the JSF. The IR reduction scheme used in F-
117 is very much different from the others. The engines are placed deep
within the aircraft like any stealth aircraft and at the outlet; a section of the
fuselage deflects the exhaust to another direction. This is useful for
deflecting the hot exhaust gases in another direction.[10]
Infrared radiation are emitted by all matter above absolute zero; hot
materials, such as engine exhaust gases or wing surfaces heated by friction
with the air, emit more infrared radiation than cooler materials. Heat-
seeking missiles and other weapons zero in on the infrared glow of hot
aircraft parts. Infrared stealth, therefore, requires that aircraft parts and
emissions, particularly those associated with engines, be kept as cool as
[9]
possible.
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Although sound moves too slowly to be an effective locating signal for
antiaircraft weapons, for low-altitude flying it is still best to be inaudible to
ground observers. Several ultra-quiet, low-altitude reconnaissance aircraft,
such as Lockheed's QT-2 and YO-3A, have been developed since the 1960s.
Aircraft of this type are ultra light, run on small internal combustion
engines quieted by silencer-suppressor mufflers, and are driven by large,
often wooden propellers. They make about as much sound as gliders and
have very low infrared emissions as well because of their low energy
consumption. The U.S. F-117 stealth fighter, which is designed to fly at high
speed at very low altitudes, also incorporates acoustic-stealth measures,
including sound-absorbent linings inside its engine intake and exhaust
[9]
cowlings.
[12]
FIG. 7.3.1 ACOUSTIC STEALTH AIRCRAFT
7.4 RADAR STEALTH
Radar stealth or invisibility requires that a craft absorbs incident radar
pulses, actively cancel them by emitting inverse waveforms, deflect them
away from receiving antennas, or all of the above. Absorption and deflection
[9]
treated below are the most important prerequisites of radar stealth.
7.5 ABSORPTION
Metallic surfaces reflect RADAR; therefore, stealth aircraft parts must either
be coated with RADAR-absorbing materials or made out of them to begin
with. The latter is preferable because an aircraft whose parts are
intrinsically RADAR-absorbing derives aerodynamic as well as stealth
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function from them, whereas a RADAR-absorbent coating is,
aerodynamically speaking, dead weight. The F-117 stealth aircraft is built
mostly out of a RADAR-absorbent material termed Fibaloy, which consists of
glass fibers embedded in plastic, and of carbon fibers, which are used
mostly for hot spots like leading wing-edges and panels covering the jet
[9]
engines.
7.6 DEFLECTION
Most RADAR are monostatic, that is, for reception they use either the same
antenna as for sending or a separate receiving antenna colocated with the
sending antenna; deflection therefore means reflecting RADAR pulses in any
direction other than the one they came from. This in turn requires that
stealth aircraft lack flat, vertical surfaces that could act as simple RADAR
[9]
mirrors.
[13]
Fig.7.6.1.DEFLECTIN OF RADAR BECAUSE OF THE STEALTH DESIGN
RADAR can also be strongly reflected wherever three planar surfaces meet at
a corner. Planes such as the B-52 bomber, which have many flat, vertical
surfaces and RADAR-reflecting corners, are notorious for their RADAR-
reflecting abilities; stealth aircraft, in contrast, tend to be highly angled and
streamlined, presenting no flat surfaces at all to an observer that is not
directly above or below them. The B-2 bomber, for example, is shaped like a
[9]
boomerang.
8. PLASMA STEALTH
Plasma stealth technology is what can be called as "Active stealth
technology" in scientific terms. This technology was first developed by the
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Russians. It is a milestone in the field of stealth technology. The technology
behind this not at all new. The plasma thrust technology was used in the
Soviet / Russian space program. Later the same engine was used to power
[16]
the American Deep Space 1 probe.
In plasma stealth, the aircraft injects a stream of plasma in front of the
aircraft. The plasma will cover the entire body of the fighter and will absorb
most of the electromagnetic energy of the radar waves, thus making the
aircraft difficult to detect. The same method is used in Magneto Hydro
Dynamics. Using Magneto Hydro Dynamics, an aircraft can propel itself to
[15]
great speeds.
[20]
Fig.8.1 PLASMA STEALTH AIRCRAFT
9. COUNTER-STEALTH
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Whenever a technology is developed for military purposes, another
technology is also developed to counter that technology. There are strong
efforts to develop a system that can counter the low Observability of the fifth
generation stealth aircraft. There are ways of detection and elimination of a
low observable aircraft but this doesn't give a 100% success rage at present.
On a radar screen, aircraft will have their radar cross sections with respect
to their size. This helps the radar to identify that the radar contact it has
made is an aircraft. Conventional aircraft are visible on the radar screen
because of its relative size. On the other hand, the relative size of a stealth
aircraft on the radar screen will be that of a large bird. This is how stealth
[17]
aircraft are ignored by radar and thus detection is avoided.
A proven method to detect and destroy stealth aircraft is to triangulate its
location with a network of radar systems. This was done while the F-117
was shot down during the NATO offensive over Yugoslavia.
A new method of detecting low observable aircraft is just over the horizon.
Scientists have found a method to detect stealth aircraft with the help of
microwaves similar to the ones emitted by the cell phone towers. Nothing
much is known about this technology, but the US military seems to be very
[18]
keen about doing more research on this.
Furthermore, every jet aircraft leaves swirls of air—vortices—in its wake.
Doppler radar, which can image wind velocities, might pinpoint such
disturbances if it could be made sufficiently high-resolution.
Other anti-stealth techniques could include the detection of aircraft-caused
disturbances in the Earth's magnetic field (magnetic anomaly detection),
networks of low frequency radio links to detect stealth aircraft by
interruptions in transmission, the use of specially shaped RADAR pulses
that resist absorption, and netted RADAR. Netted RADAR is the use of more
than one receiver, and possibly more than one transmitter, in a network.
Since stealth aircraft rely partly on deflecting RADAR pulses, receivers
located off the line of pulse transmission might be able to detected deflected
echoes. By illuminating a target area using multiple transmitters and
linking multiple receivers into a coordinated network, it should be possible
to greatly increase one's chances of detecting a stealthy target. No single
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receiver may record a strong or steady echo from any single transmitter, but
the network as a whole might collect enough information to track a stealth
[17]
target.
11.STEALTH IN WARTIME
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Stealthy jet aircraft have been used for surveillance since the 1950s, but
dedicated-design stealth warplanes were not used in combat prior to the
first Gulf War (1991). In that war, F-117s—which first became operational in
1982—made some 1,300 sorties and were the only aircraft to bomb targets
in downtown Baghdad? B-2 bombers were first used in combat in the
Kosovo conflict in 1999, flying bombing sorties from Missouri to Yugoslavia
(with midflight refueling over the Atlantic). F-117s were also used in the
Kosovo conflict; one was shot down and two were damaged by enemy fire.
The first overseas combat deployment of B-2 bombers occurred in 2003,
during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
2. A Stealth aircraft strike capability may deter potential enemies from taking
action and keep them in constant fear of strikes, since they can never know
if the attack planes are already underway.
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1. Stealth technology has its own disadvantages like other technologies.
Stealth aircraft cannot fly as fast or is not maneuverable like conventional
aircraft. The F-22 and the aircraft of its category proved this wrong up to an
extent. Though the F-22 may be fast or maneuverable or fast, it can't go
beyond Mach 2 and cannot make turns like the Su-37.
3. Whatever may be the disadvantage a stealth aircraft can have, the biggest of
all disadvantages that it faces is its sheer cost. Stealth aircraft literally costs
its weight in gold. Fighters in service and in development for the USAF like
the B-2 ($2 billion), F-117 ($70 million) and the F-22 ($100 million) are the
costliest planes in the world. After the cold war, the number of B-2 bombers
was reduced sharply because of its staggering price tag and maintenance
charges.
4. The B-2 Spirit carries a large bomb load, but it has relatively slow speed,
resulting in 18 to 24 hour long missions when it flies half way around the
globe to attack overseas targets. Therefore advance planning and receiving
intelligence in a timely manner is of paramount importance.
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Missiles are yet not available; all armament must be carried internally to
avoid increasing the radar cross section. As soon as the bomb bay doors
opened, the planes RCS will be multiplied.
15.CONCLUSION
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Till date stealth aircraft have been used in several low and moderate
intensity conflicts, including operation Desert Storm. Operation Allied Force
and the 2003 invasion of Iraq .In each Case they were employed to strike
high value targets which were either out of range of conventional aircraft or
which were too heavily defended for conventional aircraft to strike without a
high risk of loss. In addition ,because The stealth aircraft aren’t going to be
dodging surface to air missiles and anti-aircraft artillery over the target they
can aim more carefully and thus are more likely to hit the high value targets
early in the campaign (or even for it) ,Before other aircraft had the
opportunity to degrade the opposing air defense.
16. REFRENCES
[1] http://www.totalairdominance.50megs.com/articles/stealth.htm
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stealth_technology
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[3]http://images.google.co.in/images?hl=en&q=stealth%20fighter&um=1&ie
=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi
[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radar
[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stealth_ship
[6] http://www.resonancepub.com/images/stealth_ship.gif
[7] http://images.google.co.in/images
[8] http://science.howstuffworks.com/question69.htm
[9] http://www.espionageinfo.com/Sp-Te/Stealth-Technology.html
[10] http://www.airplanedesign.info/51.htm
[11] htp://www.hitechweb.genezis.eu/stealth4f_soubory/image013.jpg
[12] http://www.geocities.com/electrogravitics/scm.html
[13] http://www.razorworks.com/enemyengaged/chguide/images/lo- reflecting.gif
[14] htp://www.x20.org/library/thermal/pdm/ir_thermography.htm
[15] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_stealth
[16] http://www.military-heat.com/43/russian-plasma-stealth-fighters/
[17] http://homepage.mac.com/ardeshir/Anti-StealthTechnology.pdf
[18] http://www.scribd.com/doc/7393272/Anti-Stealth-Technology
[19] http://books.google.co.in/books?id=i0V_BBkBuvAC&pg=PA15&lpg=PA15&dq=
POLITICS+OF+STEALTH+technology&source=bl&ots=UGriQoglNp&sig=C2Q1o3
i8ybgd4HHjaKZFmUHjhKI&hl=en&ei=HzrUSc36FMiBkQXcn5T4Dg&sa=X&oi=b
ook_result&ct=result&resnum=1
[20]http://media.photobucket.com/image/PLASMA%20STEALTH/holtmark70/LE
UCHARS/IMG_5758.jpg
[21] http://www.megaessays.com/essay_search/wartime_coalition.html
[22]http://www.termpapersmonthly.com/topics/Advantages%20and%20Disadvant
ages%20of%20Technology/160
[23]http://www.marinetalk.com/articles-marine-companies/art/Stealth-
Technology-for-Future-Warships-BAE00120817TU.html
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