What is stealth technology?
Stealth technology can be many things in reference to being able to avoid detection but on this page the stealth technology in respect to contemporary weapon systems of aircraft will be the focus. Stealth technology with airplanes is simply using abnormal shapes on an aircraft in order to avoid detection form radar. Radar sends a signal to scan the sky and on most conventional aircraft have a rounded shape which makes them aerodynamic. However, the round shape means that no matter where the radar signal hits the plane, some of the signal gets reflected back. When an aircraft is needed to be stealth it is made up of completely flat surfaces and very sharp edges. When a radar signal hits a stealth plane, the signal reflects away at an angle (1). The aircrafts also be treated to absorb the radar energy to help hinder the signal. The history behind stealth technology Stealth technology has always been a pursuit with war. The beginning may have started when armies would paint their uniforms to match the terrain, or as we know this as camouflage. More recently in WWI the Germans would use transparent coverings on the airplanes in order to reduce the detection. (2). Over time more visible attempts were made to trick the eye of the enemy. But in 1935 radar was born and that meant the eye didn’t need to be tricked as radar could pick it up. In 1960 the USAF designed and used an absorbent material and paint that would be known as the true stealth technology development. In 1964 Lockheed had created the spy plane Blackbird, or more formally known as SR-71. The aircraft was a work of art as it had shapes that were sharp and unorthodox to other aircraft, but it was the first true spy plane to be deployed to avoid radar detection. After that more planes and other practices with stealth technology were created, some were boats or tanks. So how does it work? A variety of technologies are may be combined in order to make itself "invisible" to radar. These technologies include a smooth surface, "flying wing" design, radar absorbent materials (RAM), engines hidden in the body of the airplane, and electronic countermeasures (ECM) (3).
Acoustics
Acoustic stealth plays a primary role in submarine stealth as well as for ground vehicles. Submarines use extensive rubber mountings to isolate and avoid mechanical noises that could reveal locations to underwater sonar arrays. Slow turning propellers and modulated blade spacing were also implemented to reduce the chance of being discovered by harmonic resonance. This spreads the noise of the blades over a greater range of audio frequencies for ears and other machine based detectors.
Infrared
Cool air is deliberately blown into the engines of a plane or vehicle to avoid being caught by an IR detector. This reduces the heat signature and thermal radiation on the infrared spectrum. This is seen in the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk. The vents to expel the flames and jet exhaust are on the top side or facing away from where an IR detector would be. Also the exhaust gas is cooled to temperatures where the brightest wavelengths are absorbed by atmospheric carbon dioxide greatly reducing visibility. Ground combat also incorporates this tech. The USMC combat uniform uses infrared reflective material and patterns as well which was stated in the requirements document for all uniforms.
Who uses it? Many militaries use a form of stealth technology all over the world today, but the USA is the most predominant and this may be due to their large military and air force size in compression to most other countries. There are some uses for stealth technology to be used on boars as well as other land vehicles that militaries don’t want to be detected as they move into strategic place.
The future of stealth technology. With more technology coming out in the world every day in order to detect aircraft there is a need to continue to produce more stealth technology in order to beat the detection. Today electronics seem to be the new method to detect as well as long range radar that can detect anything earlier. In order to counter the growth of detection drones have been increasingly stealthier, a phenomenon which leads many to discern that stealth technology will continue to advance into the future (4). Much of the need to use stealth technology isn’t for short distances that drones are used for but rather for great distances where they can take of far away so that they aren’t seen or reported and then strike after evading detection along the way. The new aircraft will be designed to have global reach, in part by incorporating a large arsenal of long-range weapons. The LRS-B is being engineered to carry existing weapons as well as nuclear bombs and emerging and future weapons.
What is stealth technology?
Stealth technology can be many things in reference to being able to avoid detection but on this page the stealth technology in respect to contemporary weapon systems of aircraft will be the focus. Stealth technology with airplanes is simply using abnormal shapes on an aircraft in order to avoid detection form radar. Radar sends a signal to scan the sky and on most conventional aircraft have a rounded shape which makes them aerodynamic. However, the round shape means that no matter where the radar signal hits the plane, some of the signal gets reflected back. When an aircraft is needed to be stealth it is made up of completely flat surfaces and very sharp edges. When a radar signal hits a stealth plane, the signal reflects away at an angle (1). The aircrafts also be treated to absorb the radar energy to help hinder the signal.
The history behind stealth technology
Stealth technology has always been a pursuit with war. The beginning may have started when armies would paint their uniforms to match the terrain, or as we know this as camouflage. More recently in WWI the Germans would use transparent coverings on the airplanes in order to reduce the detection. (2). Over time more visible attempts were made to trick the eye of the enemy. But in 1935 radar was born and that meant the eye didn’t need to be tricked as radar could pick it up. In 1960 the USAF designed and used an absorbent material and paint that would be known as the true stealth technology development. In 1964 Lockheed had created the spy plane Blackbird, or more formally known as SR-71. The aircraft was a work of art as it had shapes that were sharp and unorthodox to other aircraft, but it was the first true spy plane to be deployed to avoid radar detection. After that more planes and other practices with stealth technology were created, some were boats or tanks.
So how does it work?
A variety of technologies are may be combined in order to make itself "invisible" to radar. These technologies include a smooth surface, "flying wing" design, radar absorbent materials (RAM), engines hidden in the body of the airplane, and electronic countermeasures (ECM) (3).
Acoustics
Acoustic stealth plays a primary role in submarine stealth as well as for ground vehicles. Submarines use extensive rubber mountings to isolate and avoid mechanical noises that could reveal locations to underwater sonar arrays. Slow turning propellers and modulated blade spacing were also implemented to reduce the chance of being discovered by harmonic resonance. This spreads the noise of the blades over a greater range of audio frequencies for ears and other machine based detectors.
Infrared
Cool air is deliberately blown into the engines of a plane or vehicle to avoid being caught by an IR detector. This reduces the heat signature and thermal radiation on the infrared spectrum. This is seen in the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk. The vents to expel the flames and jet exhaust are on the top side or facing away from where an IR detector would be. Also the exhaust gas is cooled to temperatures where the brightest wavelengths are absorbed by atmospheric carbon dioxide greatly reducing visibility. Ground combat also incorporates this tech. The USMC combat uniform uses infrared reflective material and patterns as well which was stated in the requirements document for all uniforms.
Who uses it?
Many militaries use a form of stealth technology all over the world today, but the USA is the most predominant and this may be due to their large military and air force size in compression to most other countries. There are some uses for stealth technology to be used on boars as well as other land vehicles that militaries don’t want to be detected as they move into strategic place.
The future of stealth technology.
With more technology coming out in the world every day in order to detect aircraft there is a need to continue to produce more stealth technology in order to beat the detection. Today electronics seem to be the new method to detect as well as long range radar that can detect anything earlier. In order to counter the growth of detection drones have been increasingly stealthier, a phenomenon which leads many to discern that stealth technology will continue to advance into the future (4). Much of the need to use stealth technology isn’t for short distances that drones are used for but rather for great distances where they can take of far away so that they aren’t seen or reported and then strike after evading detection along the way. The new aircraft will be designed to have global reach, in part by incorporating a large arsenal of long-range weapons. The LRS-B is being engineered to carry existing weapons as well as nuclear bombs and emerging and future weapons.
References
1. https://science.howstuffworks.com/question69.htm
2. Haddow, G.W.; Peter M. Grosz (1988). The German Giants – The German R-Planes 1914–1918 (3rd ed.). London: Putnam.
3. https://www.engineering.com/Library/ArticlesPage/tabid/85/ArticleID/96/Stealth-Technology.aspx
4. https://scout.com/military/warrior/Article/Will-Stealth-Technology-Become-Obsolete--101453269