Chinese Researchers Develop Material to Make Jets Stealthier than Ever
The new material is roughly ten times thinner than previous radar-absorbing substances, making it viable in fighter jet and ship construction.
By
Jay Bennett
Nov 12, 2015
In a
paper published in the Journal of Applied Physics yesterday, Chinese scientists from Huazhong University of Science and Technology detail the development of a new material that could be used to construct fighter jets capable of thwarting even the most advanced radar technology.
Other materials that can absorb microwave radar signals in ultrahigh frequencies (UHF) are too thick to use in fighter jet construction. But lead researcher of the paper, Wenhua Xu, says the new material is almost ten times thinner than anything else available. The material could be used in a variety of military aircraft and ships, but it is particularly interesting for its potential application in fighter jets.
The most advanced microwave radars broadcast signals at UHF that bounce off objects like aircraft. The returning microwave signals are detected by antenna arrays, allowing radar technicians to detect objects even if they are obscured by clouds. Anti-radar materials absorb some of those signals, making a large object appear smaller than it is. But current stealth technologies employed in aircraft like the F-35 fighter jet are not particularly effective against UHF signals. The newly developed material might be.
Huazhong University's material is composed of various layers and can be "tuned" to absorb a wide range of microwave frequencies. A metal slab sits on top of a layer of thin metal honeycomb, and under that is an "active frequency selective surface material" made of a .04 mm layer of copper resistors and capacitors. Underneath all
that is a circuit board with semi-conducting diodes and more capacitors.
The components and structure of the new material are openly published in detail, suggesting that China is not attempting to covertly develop a new stealth fighter jet. However, if the material is as effective as advertised, it does indicate a significant advance in China's stealth technology, considered one of the most important aspects of modern warfare.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/mil...esearchers-develop-stealth-material-for-jets/