Foreign Media Focus: China's Anti-Stealth Satellite Radar May End the U.S. Stealth Aircraft Era

Recently, foreign media have reported a notable piece of news: China is planning to deploy satellite radar systems for 24-hour continuous tracking of U.S. fifth-generation stealth aircraft. If successful, this could end the era of U.S. stealth aircraft.

New Satellite Radar System Deployment Plan Comes to Light

The report points out that the Chinese Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology is currently working tirelessly on a new plan for deploying satellite radar systems. This deployment plan is no simple task; it is a significant achievement that has been gained through years of research and exploration in anti-stealth technology. It is possible that once this plan is implemented, it may completely reverse the advantages previously held by U.S. fifth- and sixth-generation aircraft.

Analysis of Stealth Aircraft Principles and Weaknesses

When we talk about stealth aircraft, they mainly counter the methods that rely on electromagnetic signals for stealth. How exactly do they achieve stealth? They greatly reduce the degree of electromagnetic signal reflection and carefully manage their own emitted electromagnetic and radio frequency signals, thus achieving stealth. For example, the F-22, known for its stealth capabilities, has a radar cross-section (RCS) of only 0.001 square meters from the front.

However, this data is not applicable in all situations; it is only valid when the aircraft is facing the opponent. In reality, the radar cross-section varies significantly at different angles. For example, the radar cross-section increases dramatically when viewed from the side or from behind, even reaching hundreds or thousands of times larger. The radar cross-section is largest when viewed from above, reaching up to 10 square meters, at which point the stealth effect disappears entirely.

Limitations in the Development of Previous Anti-Stealth Satellite Radar

Previously, it was difficult to develop effective anti-stealth satellite radar due to two main reasons. On one hand, there were limitations in the technology of launching satellites themselves, which constrained the development and application of related equipment. On the other hand, radar technology was not mature enough to effectively filter out background noise from the sea and ground. Although a radar cross-section of 10 square meters is large enough from an aerial perspective, making stealth highly unlikely, from the perspective of a space satellite, the target's reflected signal mixes with the clutter from the ground and sea, making it difficult to distinguish.

Unique Design and Advantages of China's Anti-Stealth Satellite Radar

According to the report, the anti-stealth satellite radar developed by China uses a new detection mechanism - a space-based bistatic radar configuration. In this setup, the transmitter and receiver are mounted on two different satellites. One satellite is responsible for transmitting the radar pulse, while the other captures the signal reflected back from the target. These two satellites are positioned with an angle between 30 degrees and 130 degrees. The advantage of this design is that it makes the area of the target's radar reflection appear larger.

Foreign media analysis suggests that this bistatic satellite radar system will operate on two different orbits. One orbit is a low Earth orbit, ranging from 500 kilometers to 1000 kilometers in altitude, while the other is a geostationary orbit, reaching an altitude of 36,000 kilometers. The geostationary orbit is responsible for 24-hour uninterrupted monitoring, benefiting from its high altitude to cover a large area and have a wide field of view. When a suspicious target is detected, the low-Earth-orbit satellite will confirm and accurately track it.

As early as 2023, China launched the LT1 Land Observation Satellite System. The radar on this satellite used a high-power solid-state signal amplifier, and the receiving radar was equipped with a phased array antenna, integrating updated computing algorithms, including AI technology. This indicates that China has already achieved maturity in the theory and technology of anti-stealth satellite radar. In the future, China will further enhance the maturity and reliability of this system and deploy it on a large scale in space, forming a network of reconnaissance satellites.

Due to the separation of the transmission and reception systems, the overall system's fault tolerance will be greatly improved. Even if several satellites fail or are lost, it will not affect the entire system's detection capability. This bistatic satellite radar is like enabling a full-map透视 cheat, and it is claimed that China has already been able to detect low-altitude, slow-speed cruise missiles in simulation tests. Detecting drones and other targets is naturally no problem.

Comparison Between China and the United States in the Field of Anti-Stealth Satellite Radar

From current publicly available reports and information, the United States is also actively developing similar satellite radars. As the world's leading space power, the United States indeed has significant advantages in the aerospace field. However, in some specific projects, the United States lags behind China, and anti-stealth satellite radar is one of them.

Analysts believe that China has already incorporated the satellite anti-stealth surveillance system into its strategic planning. Once deployed, the entire Asia-Pacific region's stealth targets will be exposed, and the U.S. stealth aircraft advantage will face a serious challenge. This technological development not only reflects China's continuous progress in aerospace and military technology but will also have a profound impact on regional and global security dynamics.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7565828840669332022/

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