Jakarta –
Flying vehicles generally want to be clearly visible so that other aircraft can know their location using radar and other wavelengths of light. However, this is not the case with military aircraft. The more invisible it is, the more sophisticated the technology. That’s why this plane is called a stealth plane.
Various technologies are used to reduce reflections and emissions of light and sound in this type of aircraft, mostly in terms of materials and design. Well, scientists in China have proposed a new approach to designing stealth aircraft that involves plasma material.
Plasma is actually the most common form of matter in the universe, existing in liquids, solids and gases. Plasma is everywhere, from stars to even neon lights.
A substance is called plasma when it ionizes, or at least some of its electrons are separated from its atoms, creating a medium full of unbound negative (electrons) and positive (atoms) particles.
This partial ionization is important for stealth aircraft technology. When electromagnetic waves, such as radar or radio waves, travel through the plasma, they move charged particles and channel energy into the plasma.
So in principle, a plane could have plasma that absorbs all radio waves. Without any reflection, so the plane will not be visible to radar.
“There is a big gap between the theory of stealth technology and its actual application. But we have anticipated the gap, and have a solution for this technology that may soon be applied to military aircraft,” said research leader Tan Chang, as quoted by the South China Morning Post.
Chang also claims that two approaches have been successfully tested. Someone used radioactive materials in certain locations on the plane. As it decays, it ionizes the air, creating plasma around it.
Others use electricity to ionize the air around the vehicle. The design is not intended to create plasma around the entire craft but only in certain parts that will emit it.
The team claims that this approach makes it possible to adapt it to many different aircraft designs and does not require the compromises of traditional stealth aircraft such as the F-22 Raptor or B-2 Spirit.
Special shaping to reduce radar cross-section often has major aerodynamic disadvantages. Plasma could be a solution for this. Plasma stealth is also believed to have been used on the Russian 3M22 Zircon (SS-N-33) and Kh-47M2 Kinzhal missiles.
Watch the video “This is the crash location of the US F-35 stealth fighter jet that was lost”
(rns/fyk)
2024-02-28 06:15:13
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