Low Observable Principles,

Low Observable Principles,

Stealth Aircraft and
Stealth Aircraft and
Anti-Stealth Technologies
Anti-Stealth Technologies
Konstantinos Zikidis (Major, HAF), Ph.D.
Alexios Skondras (2nd Lieutenant, HAF)
harisios !okas (2nd Lieutenant, HAF)
Department of Aeronautical Sciences,
Hellenic Air Force Academy
Dekelia Attica, Greece

2nd Int'l Conf. on Applications of Mathematics and Informatics in Military Sciences (AMIMS),
Hellenic Military Academy, April 11-12, 21!, "ari, Athens
An"one
kno#s the
air$ra%t
t"&e '
An i(&ressi)e air$ra%t,
#ith stealth $hara$teristi$s...
Mi*+,- Firefox, a %i$tional
air$ra%t %ro( the -./2
(o)ie 0Fire%ox1
0a Soviet interceptor aircraft,
capable of Mach 6,
invisible to radar,
carring weapons controlled
b tho!ght"""1
Des&ite su$h interestin2
%eatures, it see(s that
realit" had alread"
sur&assed the %il((akers3
i(a2ination...
At the sa(e ti(e, a real
stealth air$ra%t had alread"
4een de)elo&ed...
Lockheed F-117 Nihtha!k (5S) atta$k air$ra%t
First %li2ht6 -./-, 786 -./,, re)ealed to &u4li$6 -.//
!ook &art in6
8&eration 9ust ause, Pana(a (-./.),
8&eration Desert Stor(, Persian *ul% :ar (-..-),
8&eration Desert !hunder, 7ra; (-..<+/)...
...Koso)o (-...), A%2hanistan (2==-), 7ra; (2==,)...
Su4soni$, no A>,
no radar, Link-? or
$ounter(easures s"ste(...
Ho#e)er, thousands o% su$$ess%ul (issions,
onl" one $o(4at loss...
#as retired in 2==/
First air$ra%t t"&es exhi4itin2 lo# o4ser)a4le
%eatures, (ost &ossi4l" not deli4eratel"...
Horten Ho 22.
(*er(an", -.@A)6
re&orted to (ake use o%
2ra&hite (a4sor4in2) &aint,
re(ained at &rotot"&e sta2e
A)ro Bul$an
(5K, &rod.6 -.A? C ?A)6
so(eti(es disa&&eared
%ro( the radar s$reen
Darl" atte(&ts 4" the 5S to#ards stealth
in the A=s and ?=s, (ainl" rel"in2 on a4sor4in2
&aints, (ore or less unsu$$ess%ul...
5+2 Dra2on Lad"
(-.A< + ...)
SE+<- >la$k4ird
(-.?@ + -../)
A+-2
(-.?,+-.?/)
First real ste&s to#ards radar si2nature redu$tion,
#ith the (unintentional) hel& o% 5SSE...
#
-.<=s6 ad)an$es in $o(&uters and so%t#are allo#s
$o(&uter si(ulation and %l"+4"+#ire s"ste(s
#
-.<?6 Lo$kheed Skunk :orks F#ave $l!eF &roje$t6 2 &lanes
4uilt, 4oth lost durin2 s!ccessf!l de(onstration &ro2ra(
#
-.</6 5S de$ides to de)elo& F+--<
#
-./-6 %irst %li2ht o% GF+--<A
#
-.?@, Mos$o#6 0Method of %dge &aves in
the Phsical Theor of 'iffraction1 4" P"otr
5%i(tse)6 radar return is related to the ed2e
$on%i2uration o% an o4je$t, not its siHe
#
5%i(tse)3s #ork later translated and
studied 4" the 5S
#ave $l!e #ave $l!e
te$hnolo2" de(onstrator te$hnolo2" de(onstrator
Eadar ross Se$tion C ES6 a (easure o% the radar
si2nature or radar return o% an o4je$t
"#S of a taret$ the cross section of a metal sphere
%in m&', yieldin the same radar return as the taret
De&ends on (an" &ara(eters, su$h as6
relati)e siHe (siHe )ersus #a)elen2th),
tar2et (aterial I&aintin2,
sha&e I orientation...
ES redu$tion te$hni;ues
Pur&ose sha&in26
$
Sur%a$e %a$etin2
$
Jo external loads (#ea&ons, tanks)
$
Jo &ro&ellers
$
Hidden en2ine 4lades
$
Jo &arallel sur%a$es
$
Jo $orner re%le$tors
$
!ilted tail %ins (or no %ins at all)
$
ADSA radar (or no radar at all)
Eadar A4sor4ent Materials (EAM)
Passi)e $an$ellation
A$ti)e $an$ellation
Target RCS (m
2
) Target RCS (m
2
)
Destroyer (200 m) 14000 F-18 E/F Super Hornet <1
-52 Stratofortress 100 - 125 F-16 ! <1
"assen#er $ar 100 %afa&e ' <1
'-1(0 Her$u&es 80 )-1) *an$er 0+,5 - 1
F-15 Ea#&e 10 - 25 E-o$et+ Harpoon 0+1
Su-2, F&an.er 10 - 15 )-2 Sp/r/t <0+1
F-4 "0antom 6 - 10 1/r2 0+01
3-2000 1 - 2 F-11,4 !/#0t0a5. 0+025
F-16 ' 1+2 F-(5 */#0tn/n# 0+0015 - 0+005
6-(8 6a&on 1 F-22 %aptor 0+0001 - 0+0005
Eurof/#0ter <1 /nse$t 0+00001
Eadar dete$tion ran2e )ersus tar2et ES, %or a
sur)eillan$e radar (L+>and), an Air4orne 7nter$e&tor
Eadar (K+>and) and a (issile seeker (K+>and)
/ma#e ta.en from7
8nott+ S$0aeffer 9 6u&ey+ :%a2ar 'ross Se$t/on;+ S$/6e$0 "u1&/s0/n# n$+ 2n2 re<= e2=+ 2004
!hree 2enerations o% 5SAF strate2i$ 4o(4ers6
(iddle6 >oein2 >+A2 Strato%ortress (%irst %li2ht -.A2), not stealth...
ri2ht6 Eo$k#ell >+-> Lan$er (%.%. +A -.<@, +> -./,), rather stealth
le%t6 Jorthro& *ru((an >+2 S&irit (%.%. -./.), ;uite stealth
5SAF State+o%+the+art stealth %i2hters6
-. Lo$kheed Martin F+22A
2. Lo$kheed Martin F+,A
Ad)an$ed %i2hters #ith l.o. $hara$teristi$s6
2. Dassault Ea%ale F, (Fran$e)6
re&orted to ha)e entered Li4"a
airs&a$e undete$ted, usin2
a$ti)e $an$ellation te$hni;ues
-. >oein2 F+-A Silent
Da2le (5S)6 redesi2ned to
o%%er (u$h lo#er ES.
Protot"&e stealth air$ra%t under de)elo&(ent6
-. Sukhoi PAK FA (Eussia+7ndia) 2. hen2du 9+2= (hina)
5ABs #ith stealth $hara$teristi$s6
-. Lo$kheed Martin EL+-<= Sentinel (5S)
2. Dassault
nD5E8n
(Fran$e et$)
Lo$kheed Martin F+,A Li2htnin2 77
(9SF + 9oint Strike Fi2hter)
F+,AA6 !8L, F+,A>6 S!8BL, F+,A6 B
Histor"
-..?6 9SF &ro2ra( 4e2ins
2==-6 K+,A #ins, SDD
2==?6 F+,A Lightning ((
%irst %li2ht
-- &arti$i&atin2 $ountries
F+,AA #ea&on
s"ste( $ost6
1(7 ) *SD,
a$$ordin2 to
FG 2=-, 4ud2et
(5SAF)
Stealth %eatures6
Pur&ose sha&in2
7nternal #ea&ons
DS7 intake
EAM Fi4er Mat
et$.
a$$ordin2 to 5SAF6
"#S + ,,,,1- m&
F+,A %eatures
PM: F+-,A6 2A=== l4 I @==== l4
Po#er 4" #ire
J* AJIAP*+/- ADSA
Link-? N MADL
HMDS, no H5D
AJIAAL+,< D8DAS
AJIAAL+@= D8!S
AJIASL+2,. >arra$uda D: s"ste(
*A5+22A 2A (( 2un
2 AMEAAM O 2 *>5+,- 9DAM
8n the other hand, there are
one or t#o issues...
.roram issues6
Dou4ts $on$ernin2 air%ra(e li%es&an
Si2ni%i$ant s$hedule dela"s
Pro2ra( $ost al(ost dou4led
Dela"s in so%t#are de)elo&(ent
Fli2ht testin2 still in earl" sta2e
/perational issues6
Eedu$ed #ea&on load
Eedu$ed (aneu)era4ilit"
Lo# thrust+to+#ei2ht ratio
Luestions $on$ernin2 stealthiness o% ex&ort air$ra%t
Jot so stealth in lo# %re;uen$ies, %ro( side and a%t se$tors
F+,A radar si2nature )s aHi(uth and %re;uen$"
(esti(ated)
A$$ordin2 to
Air Power A!stralia
2reen6 )er" lo# o4ser)a4le
"ello#6 lo# o4ser)a4le
red6 redu$ed ES
Maxi(u( dete$tion ran2e esti(ation (in n.(.)
o% $ertain radar t"&es, %or )arious tar2ets,
4ased on open so!rce data
%a2ar (>??? )an2)
%'S
5 m@
%'S
1 m@
F-(5 A 45B
0/#0est
<a&ue
F-(5 A 45B
mean
<a&ue
F-(5 A 0B
%'S
0+0015 m@
4"C 68(D)E (F) 5E 40 1E 5 8
4%(2, (S) 255 1E0 80 45 G(,
S,4(D (*) 255 216 E, 61 GG4(
"atr/ot "4'-( (') E0 60 25 14 G12
D4-08 3E8H (S) 11( ,6 (2 18 G15
*I-08 S64!D4%D (*) 182 122 55 (4 GG24
Possi4le anti+stealth te$hni;ues6
)ultistatic radars
se&arate trans(itter and re$ei)er antennae
Ee&orted to &ro)ide $ertain dete$tion $a&a4ilities, e)en %or
stealth tar2ets. Ee;uires a net#ork o% nodes, #hile the tar2et is
ex&e$ted to 4e 04et#een1 trans(itter and re$ei)er nodes.
.assi0e radars (&assi)e $oherent lo$ation C PL)6
no trans(itter C )arious re$ei)ers, ex&loitin2 distur4an$e on
existin2 EF trans(issions (!B, FM, *SM, HD!B...)
Pros6 no trans(ission, use o% lo# %re;uen$" 4ands (4etter
stealth dete$tion), dete$tion e)en at )er" lo# altitude, $annot
4e dete$ted and tar2eted...
ons6 un$ontrolled EF trans(issions,
no dete$tion at hi2h altitudes,
2D tra$kin2
Lo$kheed Martin
Silent Sentr" -...
.assi0e radars (&assi)e $oherent lo$ation C PL)
Ho(eland
Alerter -==
(!hales, Fran$e)
!rans&orta4le
&assi)e radar
4" assidian
(DADS, *er(an")
DLLDAE C DLL PH8JD EADAE (>AD S"ste(s C Eoke, 5K)
A5L8S Passi)e o)ert Lo$ation Eadar (Selex Sist. 7nt., 7tal")
Helleni$ Multi+tar2et Passi)e S"ste( C HDMPAS or 7AS
(0!hessaloniki !ea(1, *ree$e)6 (ultistati$ PL C DSM s"ste(
1lectronic Support )easures %1S)' Systems
a s"ste( o% , or @ re$ei)ers, dete$tin2 and tra$kin2
tar2ets usin2 their o#n e(issions
Kol$hu2a (!o&aH, 5kraine) Bera+J*
(DEA, He$h Ee&u4li$)
Jot )er" use%ul a2ainst air$ra%t #hi$h
#ill not use 7FF, Link-?, BI5HF et$.
Lo! fre2uency 3and radars
e.2., BHF+4and or L+4and

Stealth desi2ns are o&ti(iHed %or (ediu( to hi2h %re;. 4ands

:a)elen2th is $o(&ara4le to air$ra%t &arts (#in2s, sta4ilators)

S$atterin2 enters Mie or resonan$e re2ion ((ax ES)

EAM less e%%e$ti)e at lo# %re;uen$ies

BHF radars $annot 4e dete$ted 4" HAEM+like #ea&ons

!rans&orta4le, ,D
ADSA BHF Eadar
-L--. JD>8 SB5
(Eoso4oronex&ort,
Eussia)
Lo! fre2uency 3and radars
trans&orta4le, di2ital desi2n, (odern se(i$ondu$tor
te$hnolo2", desi2ned %or lo# ES tar2ets
2D BHF Eadar
B8S!8K D
(A2atIK> Eadar, >elarus)
,D L+>and Eadar
?<P?Q *a((a+DD
(BJ77E!, Eussia)
)ulti-3and radars
!rans&orta4le ,D Eadar s"ste( AAZh?M Je4o M
(JJ77E!IAl(aH+Ante", Eussia)
o(&rises Je4o SB5 (BHF+>and), Proti)nik * (L+>and) and
*a((a S- (SIK+>and), linked to a $entral $o((and station
/0er-4he-Hori5on "adars
HF (,+,= MHH), utiliHation o% sk" #a)es
Dxtre(e ran2e (/== C @=== k() 4ut lo# a$$ura$"
See tar2ets 0%ro( a4o)e1 + &rohi4iti)el" hi2h (in ran2e
6nfra"ed %6"' Systems
Stealth air$ra%t e(&lo" te$hni;ues %or 7E si2nature
redu$tion, as #ell. Ho#e)er, it ne)er disa&&ears...

7ES!6 7E Sear$h and !ra$k

Missile seekers (e.2., M7A 77E, 7E7S+!)

!he $o(4ustion $ha(4er o% the F-,A has the hi2hest

te(&erature (R22==S) a(on2 %i2hter air$ra%t en2ines
DADS Duro%i2hter6
P7EA!D (Passi)e 7n%ra
Eed Air4orne !ra$kin2
D;ui&(ent)
4" D5E8F7ES!.
o(&rises FL7E and
7ES! (u& to 2== tar2ets
at A= C .= k()
6nfra"ed %6"' Systems
Dassault Ea%ale 8SF (8&troni;ue Se$teur Frontal)
4" !hales 8&troni;ue C SA*DM
An F+22 in the H5D and 8SF o% a Ea%ale, durin2 A!L 2==.
(? do2%i2hts Ea%ale )s F+226 A dra#s and - #in %or the Ea&tor)
6nfra"ed %6"' Systems
Lo$kheed Martin S&e$t7E6 lon2 ran2e 7ES!

F+-/ DIF6 in the %ront &art o% a %uel tank

F+-?6 in a &od
6nfra"ed %6"' Systems
!he Eussians ha)e 4een usin2 7ES! s"ste(s as
standard e;ui&(ent in (ost %i2hters %ro( the 3/=s...
Sukhoi Su+,AD,
#ith 7ES! 8LS+,A
#onclusions

Stealth te$hnolo2" has 4e$o(e sine )!a non6 all

(ilitar" air$ra%t, tanks, shi&s et$, are desi2ned or
redesi2ned a$$ordin2 to lo# o4ser)a4le te$hni;ues

Stealthiness is not &ana$ea6 stealth air$ra%t are not

in)in$i4le. !his a&&lies to the F+,A, as #ell...

7t see(s not &ossi4le to $on%ront stealth air$ra%t

e(&lo"in2 onl" one radar I sensor te$hnolo2"

A &ro(isin2 a&&roa$h relies on the %ollo#in26

Lo# %re;. radars %or (ed+hi2h altitude sur)eillan$e

Passi)e radars %or lo#+(ed altitude sur)eillan$e

Data %usion o% all sensors throu2h net#orkin2

Air$ra%t 2uidan$e and tra$k desi2nation )ia data link

8n4oard 7E s"ste(s %or dete$tion and tra$kin2

;uote %ro( Dr7 87 1d!ards Demin (-.== C -..,),
A(eri$an author, statisti$ian, &ro%essor, le$turer and
$onsultant6
9 9It is not necessary to change. It is not necessary to change.
Survival is not mandatory. Survival is not mandatory.: :
AJG L5DS!78JS '''
%. C. &i'idis, Al. S'ondras, C. (o'as) *+o, -.ser/a.le 0rinciples, Stealth Aircraft and Anti-Stealth (echnolo1ies*,
2nd Int'l Conf. on Applications of Mathematics and Informatics in Military Sciences (AMIMS),
Hellenic Military Academy, April 11-12, 21!, "ari, Athens