[sci.military] Stealth - cheaper applications

chidsey@smoke.brl.mil (Irving Chidsey) (02/21/90)

From: Irving Chidsey <chidsey@smoke.brl.mil>

In article <14169@cbnews.ATT.COM> military@cbnews.ATT.COM (William B. Thacker) writes:
<
<	The reason that I'm asking is because, quite simply, of all the
<    aircraft in the military inventory, those are the easiest planes to
<    reduce the visual and radar signature.  
<
<	Consider an airplane that has foam wings with carbon-fiber spars.
<    This gives us a nearly radar-transparent airframe.  

non-radar comments deleted

<	Radar signature is the tough one.  To start with, the plane is
<    small, and that helps.  Omit any radar onboard, radar dishes have a
<    high Radar Cross Section.  
<
<    Neil Kirby


	The radar antenna has a high CAPTURE cross-section.  It is
designed to be verry efficient at transmitting and receiving radar
signals at design wavelengths.  Unless there is a reason, what happens
at other wavelengths is left up for grabs because it is easier and
cheaper that way.  What you have to avoid, is a retroreflector.
If you can avoid that, there shouldn't be much problem.

						Irv
-- 
I do not have signature authority.  I am not authorized to sign anything.
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			Irving L. Chidsey  <chidsey@brl.mil>