Northrop b-2 spirit
HMS Helsingborg - Corby type "Visby"
Stealth ( eng. Stealth , also stealth technology ) is a set of ways to reduce the visibility of combat vehicles in the radar , infrared and other areas of the detection spectrum through specially designed geometric shapes and the use of radio absorbing materials and coatings , which significantly reduces the radius of detection and thereby increases the survival of combat cars. Technologies for reducing visibility are an independent section of the military-scientific discipline of electronic countermeasures, covering a range of equipment and technologies for the manufacture of military equipment (airplanes, helicopters, ships, missiles, etc.).
It should be noted that a significant absorption of radio waves can be achieved only in the centimeter range , and much worse in decimeter . Due to the physics of propagation of radio waves, it is impossible to make an object barely noticeable in the meter range, when the wavelength is comparable with the object’s own dimensions. Also, at the current level of technology, it is impossible to achieve full absorption of any radio emission falling on an object at an arbitrary angle. In particular, by means of stealth technology, the named task is insoluble at all. Therefore, at present, when choosing the shape of an object (for example, a combat aircraft), the main purpose is to reflect the waves away from the radiator, so part of the signal is absorbed by special coatings, and the rest is reflected so that the radio echo does not return to the observing radar against combined transmitting stations).
Vulnerability to modern detection tools
For most combat and special auxiliary machines created using stealth technology, there are no independent data on the size of the effective dispersion surface (EPR) in various ranges, since expert assessment of this information may increase their vulnerability. Some of the data on the visibility of such machines is based on theoretical estimates, there are also cases of deliberate disinformation that either overestimate or, on the contrary, underestimate the real value of the EPR. Therefore, all estimates of the visibility of low-profile military vehicles should be treated with a high degree of caution.
According to the chief of the air defense of the Russian Aerospace Forces, Major General V. Gumyonny, currently “stealth aircraft” created using Stealth technology are not invisible to domestic air defense systems — such targets are successfully escorted and destroyed in a timely manner. However, neither the distance at which it is possible to carry out such operations, nor the number of targets that the detection means are capable of tracking are mentioned. [1] .
Aircraft created using visibility reduction technologies
Sorted by appearance time
Piloted
For example, fourth-generation airplanes - Russian Su-27 or American F-15 - have a coefficient of the reflected surface within 12 square meters. Also, according to some experts, the newest F-22 (American fighter of the fifth generation) - 0.3-0.4 m². [2]
Aircraft with reduced visibility
Airplanes with the use of early versions of stealth technology, in some cases, random, and mostly without special geometry. Radar absorbing coatings are widely used, on some machines composite materials are used, as well as radar blockers in the engine air intakes.
| State affiliation | Developer | Title | Status | Description | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| the USSR | OKB Polikarpova | U-2 (Po-2) | separate copies are used | the multi-purpose biplane due to the almost complete absence of metal in the design was invisible for early German and American radars, and thanks to the skillful tactics of the application - for all other means of air-conditioning and fire fighting equipment | |
| the USSR | WACKS | Invisible Aircraft (PS) | operation stopped | A distinctive feature of the aircraft was the trimming of its surfaces with a transparent material - a “rhodoid” - French-made organic glass. | - |
| Great Britain | De Havilland Aircraft Company | Mosquito | operation stopped | British all-wood light bomber had low visibility for early radar | |
| Germany | Ho IX / Go 229 | development discontinued | German aircraft, created in 1944-1945, had a reduced radar visibility due to the aerodynamic configuration of the " flying wing " | ||
| USA | Northrop | XB-35 / YB-49 | development discontinued | a series of projects of a long-range heavy bomber, had reduced radar visibility due to the aerodynamic design of a “ flying wing ” | |
| Great Britain | Avro | Vulcan | operation stopped | Delta-wing strategic bomber, whose radar visibility was observed when viewed from certain angles by simplifying external forms and shielding air intakes | |
| USA | Lockheed | SR-71 Blackbird | operation stopped | supersonic strategic reconnaissance aircraft, is the fastest manned aircraft with a turbo-jet propulsion system, created using early technologies of reducing visibility [3] (flat forms, tapering sides, radio absorbing coatings) | |
| the USSR | OKB Tupolev | Tu-202 | development discontinued | the project was carried out according to the normal monoplane scheme with a low-lying swept wing and swept tail, developed on the basis of the Tu-142 [4] | - |
| USA | Rockwell | B-1 Lancer | operated by | supersonic strategic bomber with variable sweep wing | |
| USSR / Russia | OKB Tupolev | Tu-160 | operated by | supersonic long-range strategic bomber-rocket carrier with variable sweep wing | |
| USSR / Russia | OKB MiG | MiG-29SMT | operated by | modernized MiG-29 fighter; to absorb EPR, radar absorbing coatings are used, the EPR in the heading plane is less than 1 m² [5] | |
| USSR / Russia | OKB MiG | MiG-33 (MiG-29M) | development discontinued | a modernized MiG-29 fighter; radio-absorbing materials and coatings are used to reduce the EPR; development is discontinued due to financial difficulties in Russia | |
| USA | Mcdonnell douglas | F / A-18 Hornet | operated by | deck fighter-bomber, created with the use of early technologies reduce visibility, similar to the SR-71 Blackbird , F / A-18E version uses radar-blockers in the air intakes of engines [6] | |
| USSR / Russia | OKB Sukhoi | Su-34 | operated by | fighter-bomber on the basis of the Su-27 interceptor, radio absorbing materials and coatings are widely used to reduce radar visibility, the shape of some elements of the aircraft design is also designed to reduce radar visibility [7] | |
| Yugoslavia | SOCO | development discontinued | fourth generation multipurpose aircraft | ||
| United Kingdom / Germany / Italy / Spain | EADS , BAE Systems , Alenia | Eurofighter Typhoon | operated by | Fourth generation multipurpose fighter with various measures applied to reduce radar visibility in the forward hemisphere | |
| Russia | OKB MiG | MiG-35 (MiG-29M2 / MiG-29M3) | production is expected | light super-maneuverable frontline fighter generation 4 ++, composite materials and radio-absorbing coatings are widely used in the construction of an airplane glider [8] | |
| Russia | OKB Sukhoi | Su-35S | operated by | heavy super-maneuverable multi-purpose fighter of generation 4 ++, has a reduced radar visibility [9] , according to some data, the average ESR is in the range from 0.5 to 2 m² [10] , it is also possible to use radar-blockers in the air intakes of engines | |
| USSR / Russia | OKB Sukhoi | Su-47 | flying lab | experimental low-profile carrier-based fighter with a backward swept wing | |
| USSR / Russia | OKB MiG | MiG 1.44 | development discontinued | the project of a promising heavy fighter of the fifth generation was closed due to financial difficulties in Russia | |
| India | HAL | Tejas | operated by | fourth generation light fighter | |
| USA | Boeing | F-15SE Silent Eagle | being tested | a multi-purpose fighter, which is an upgrade of the F-15E , uses radio-absorbing materials and coatings in the airframe design; there are 4 internal weapon suspension points | |
| Sweden | Saab AB | in developing | Swedish Air Force project to develop a fifth-generation invisible fighter by 2020 | - | |
| Great Britain | BAE Systems , Rolls-Royce plc , Leonardo , MBDA | in developing | The proposed concept of a fighter | - |
Unobtrusive airplanes
Airplanes with a wide use of stealth technologies - special geometry of the airframe of the aircraft, radio absorbing materials and coatings in the design of the airframe and compartments of the aircraft, shielding of compressors and jet nozzles of engines.
| State affiliation | Developer | Title | Status | Description | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | Lockheed | development discontinued | the first modern aircraft with the “ flying wing ” scheme, an experimental aircraft, on the basis of which the F-117 Nighthawk strike aircraft was created, flights since 1977 | ||
| USA | Lockheed | F-117 Nighthawk | operation stopped | the first modern production aircraft with the “ flying wing ” scheme, the first aircraft that managed to significantly reduce radar and infrared visibility, was quite effectively used in a number of conflicts, flights since 1981 , production ceased in 1990 , removed from service in 2008 | |
| USA | Northrop | development discontinued | experimental tech demonstrator | ||
| Germany | development discontinued | the prototype of the German unobtrusive fighter | |||
| USA | Northrop | B-2 Spirit | operated by | unobtrusive heavy strategic bomber , the first modern production heavy aircraft with the “ flying wing ” scheme, flights since 1989 , production ceased in 1999 , is the most expensive aircraft in aviation history | |
| USA | Lockheed martin | F-19 | unknown | The hypothetical project of the unobtrusive American fighter-bomber of a new generation, designed to replace the F-117A Nighthawk aircraft | |
| USA | Mcdonnell douglas General Dynamics | McDonnell Douglas / General Dynamics A-12 Avenger II | development discontinued | all-weather bomber draft for carrier-based aircraft | |
| USA | Northrop Mcdonnell douglas | YF-23 | development discontinued | the prototype of the fifth generation fighter , created by the ATF program, lost in the competition to the YF-22 aircraft | |
| USA | Lockheed Boeing | F-22 Raptor | operated by | unobtrusive multi-purpose fighter of the fifth generation , is the most expensive fighter in the world | |
| USA | Boeing | Bird of prey | development discontinued | experimental aircraft, which worked out technologies to reduce visibility | |
| USSR / Russia | OKB Yakovleva | Yak-201 | the project is closed | The project of further development of vertical takeoff and landing aircraft Yak-141 and Yak-43. | - |
| Great Britain | BAE Systems | unknown | the project of the British low-profile fighter of the fifth generation | - | |
| USA | Lockheed martin Boeing | development discontinued | a project of an unobtrusive aerodynamic fighter-bomber “ flying wing ” with a deltoid elongated wing, which, according to Western experts, would increase the payload mass and flight range [11] | - | |
| USA | Boeing | X-32 | development discontinued | Fifth generation lightweight fighter prototype, created by the JSF program, lost the competition to the X-35 aircraft | |
| Russia | OKB MiG | unknown | LMFS (Light multipurpose front-line aircraft). the project of the fifth generation light multipurpose fighter developed in MiG Design Bureau to replace the fourth generation fighter MiG-29 of the Russian Air Force | - | |
| USA | ? | SR-91 Aurora | unknown | allegedly replacing Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird and having been in service with the United States since the late 1990s, the mythical, strictly classified, unobtrusive hypersonic strategic stealth scout “ flying wing ” | |
| USA Great Britain | Lockheed martin | F-35 Lightning II | passes the test is in the stage of small-scale production | promising unobtrusive light fighter-bomber | |
| Russia | OKB Sukhoi | PAK FA / Su-57 | being tested | the fifth-generation heavy multipurpose fighter developed by the Sukhoi design bureau to replace the fourth-generation fighter of the Su-27 Russian Air Force , the prototype began flying in 2010 | |
| China | Shenyang Aircraft Corporation | Shenyang J-20 | operated by | Chinese unobtrusive fifth-generation fighter , the prototype made the first flight in early 2011 [12] | |
| China | Shenyang Aircraft Corporation | Shenyang J-31 / F-60 | being tested | The project of the Chinese light fighter, model Shenyang F-60 was first shown on September 23-25, 2011 at the Aviation Museum during the AVIC air show, in June 2012 the prototype was seen during transport to static tests in Xi'an , in September 2012 the first photographs [13] . | |
| China | Xian H-20 | being tested | the project of the Chinese heavy low-profile long-range strategic bomber , the second modern heavy aircraft of the “ flying wing ” scheme, the prototype began flying in 2013 | - | |
| Japan | Mitsubishi | ATD-X Shinshin | in developing | the project of a promising fifth-generation fighter created for the Japanese Air Force in the Saab Gripen dimension and close in shape to the American F-22 Raptor , the prototype began flying in 2016 | |
| USA | Boeing / Lockheed Martin and Northrop | B-3 (NGB - Next-Generation Bomber, 2018 Bomber, LRS-B - Long Range Strike Bomber) and | in developing | projects of the low-profile long-range strategic flying-wing bomber , less expensive than the B-2 | |
| Russia | OKB Tupolev | PAK YES | in developing | a project of a low-profile long-range strategic bomber of the “ flying wing ” scheme developed by the Tupolev Design Bureau for strategic aviation of Russia | - |
| Russia India | OKB Sukhoi HAL | T-50UB / FGFA | in developing | fifth-generation heavy duty multipurpose fighter project | - |
| India | HAL | in developing | the project of the Indian lightweight unobtrusive fifth generation fighter for the Air Force and Navy of India | ||
| The Republic of Korea | KF-X / IF-X | in developing | project of the Korean lightweight unobtrusive fifth generation fighter | ||
| Turkey | BAE Systems | Tf-x | in developing | project of the Turkish light unobtrusive fifth-generation fighter | - |
| Iran | Hesa | in developing | project of Iranian light unobtrusive fighter / attack aircraft |
Unmanned
| State affiliation | Developer | Title | Status | Description | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | Lockheed | RQ-3 Darkstar | development discontinued | reconnaissance UAV | |
| USA | Boeing | X-45 | development discontinued | developed on the basis of the manned Boeing Bird of Prey | |
| USA | Northrop grumman | X-47A | development discontinued | reconnaissance UAV demonstration model | |
| France | Dassault - Sagem | in developing | reconnaissance UAV | - | |
| Germany Spain | Eads | Barracuda | unknown | reconnaissance UAV | |
| Russia | OKB MiG | Scat | development discontinued | shock UAV | |
| France | Dassault | nEUROn | in developing | reconnaissance drone UAV | |
| France | Dassault | unknown | experimental UAV | - | |
| France | Dassault | unknown | experimental UAV | - | |
| Bulgaria | Armstechno | THREADS | development discontinued | shock UAV | - |
| Germany | Rheinmetall | KZO | unknown | reconnaissance UAV | |
| India | in developing | shock UAV | - | ||
| USA | Lockheed martin | RQ-170 Sentinel | operated by | shock UAV | |
| USA | Boeing | Phantom ray | in developing | shock UAV | |
| USA | Northrop grumman | X-47B | development discontinued | shock UAV | |
| Russia | OKB Sukhoi | Hunter | in developing | shock UAV | - |
| USA | Northrop Grumman Corporation | RQ-180 | operated by | reconnaissance UAV | - |
| China | SYADI, SAU and | Liyan | in developing | shock UAV | |
| Iran | Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company | in development, possibly exploited | shock UAV | ||
| Iran | Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company | operated by | reconnaissance and shock UAV | ||
| Great Britain | BAE Systems | in developing | shock UAV | ||
| USA | Northrop grumman | development discontinued | experimental UAV | - | |
| USA | Boeing | in developing | refueling UAV | - | |
| USA | in developing | UAV |
Ships with reduced radar visibility
| State affiliation | Developer | Title | Status | Description | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | Lockheed martin | Si Shadow | Development discontinued | experimental ship - invisible | |
| France | DCNS | Lafayette Frigates | operated by | subtle frigate | |
| Great Britain Italy | Horizon sas | Horizon type frigates | operated by | series of frigates | |
| Norway | Umoe mandal | Skjold type missile boats | operated by | a series of unobtrusive high-speed missile boats | |
| Sweden | Corvettes like "Visby" | operated by | a series of multipurpose corvettes of the Swedish Navy | ||
| Russia | Zelenodolsk PKB | Project 11661 patrol ships | operated by | a series of Russian unobtrusive frigates | |
| Russia | TsMKB "Almaz" | Corvettes of the project 20380 | operated by | Project 20380 corvettes are distinguished by their versatility, compactness, low visibility, and a high level of automation of ship systems [14] | |
| Singapore | DCNS | Formidable frigates | operated by | a series of six multi-purpose stealth frigates of the Singapore Navy | |
| Germany | Blohm + Voss Thyssenkrupp | Braunschweig type corvettes | operated by | a series of unobtrusive corvettes in Germany | |
| Russia | Zelenodolsk PKB | Small artillery ships project 21630 | operated by | low-profile artillery ships designed to strengthen the surface forces of the Caspian flotilla both in the near-sea zone and in river sections [15] | |
| Russia | North PKB | Project 22350 frigates | in construction | unobtrusive multi-purpose warships of the far sea zone [16] | |
| Russia | Zelenodolsk PKB | Project 21631 small rocket ships | operated by | inconspicuous rocket ships designed to strengthen the surface forces of the Caspian Flotilla and the Black Sea Fleet [17] | |
| USA | Lockheed martin General Dynamics | Littoral combat ship | operated by | subtle coastal warships | |
| India | Frigates of the type "Shivalik" | operated by | multipurpose frigate of the Indian Navy | ||
| USA | Lockheed martin General Dynamics | Destroyer type "Zamvolt" | operated by | type of multipurpose vehicle with emphasis on attacks from coastal and land targets [18] | |
| Malaysia | DCNS | in production | Class of six stealth frigates under construction for the Malaysian Navy | ||
| India | in production | subtle frigate | |||
| Israel | Northrop Grumman Ship Systems on the Israeli project | Corvettes like "Saar-5" | operated by | subtle corvette | |
| Russia | TsMKB "Almaz" | unknown | in developing | promising unobtrusive destroyer [19] | - |
| Ukraine | Forge on Rybalsky | River armored boats of the project 58155 "Gyurza-M" | operated by | small armored artillery boats with reduced visibility [20] | |
| Ukraine | Forge on Rybalsky | Landing boats of the type "Centaur" | in production | air assault boat with reduced visibility |
See also
- Invisibility
- Effective spread area
- Ufimtsev, Peter Yakovlevich
- Fighter generation 4+
- Fifth generation fighter
Literature and links
- Heppenheimer, TA Stealth: First glimpses of the invisible aircraft now under construction . // Popular Science . - September 1986. - Vol. 229 - No. 3 - P. 74-79, 115-116 - ISSN 0161-7370.
- “The method of edge waves in the physical theory of diffraction”, P. Ya. Ufimtsev, ed. Soviet Radio, 1962, circulation 6.5 tons. Copies.
- A.N. Lagarkov , M.A. Pogosyan . Fundamental and applied problems of stealth technologies // Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences . - 2003. - T. 73 , No. 9 . - p . 848 .
- Rossiyskaya Gazeta: “Russian“ stealth technologies ”are in demand on the world market” (Interview with Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences A.N. Lagarkov)
- Bochkarev A. M. , Dolgov M. N. Radiolocation of hardly noticeable aircraft // Foreign Radioelectronics. - 1989. - № 2 . - p . 3-17 .
Notes
- The state and prospects of development of the air defense of the Russian Air Force . Echo of Moscow (December 6, 2014). The appeal date is December 6, 2014.
- ↑ The chief designer of the aircraft PAK FA T-50 - A. N. Davidenko on the EPR F-22 and PAK-FA
- ↑ F-117 on paralay.com - “The first major attempt to reduce the EPR was the Lockheed SR-71 high-altitude scout program, developed under the guidance of the same Johnson”
- ↑ Replaced Tu-160
- ↑ MiG-29SMT on the airwar.ru website
- ↑ Radar blocker in the air intake of an F / A-18E fighter
- ↑ Su-34 on the airwar.ru website
- ↑ MiG-35 on the website airwar.ru
- ↑ Su-35S on the website airwar.ru
- ↑ Assessing Sukhoi PAK FA
- ↑ FB-22 Raptor at airwar.ru
- ↑ Chinese fighter J-20 made the first flight - RUSSIAN WEAPONS, Catalog of weapons, military and special equipment (inaccessible link)
- ↑ Photos of a new Chinese fighter hit the Web
- ↑ Multipurpose patrol ship (corvette) of the “Stereguschy” type (inaccessible link) . The appeal date is May 16, 2009. Archived December 24, 2008.
- ↑ Small artillery ship "Astrakhan" project 21630 cipher "Buyan"
- ↑ Denis Korablyov Project 22350
- ↑ Laid a small rocket ship "Grad Sviyazhsk"
- ↑ DDG 1000 Zumwalt Class Destroyer (inaccessible link) . The appeal date is December 12, 2010. Archived April 12, 2010.
- ↑ Russia will create a new generation destroyer
- ↑ Ukraine began running trials of the latest stealth boats - Naked Science . naked-science.ru. The appeal date is September 3, 2017.