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From: cga66@ihlpy.att.com (Patrick V Kauffold)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Stealth boats(?)
Message-ID: <1991Mar18.002257.21300@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 18 Mar 91 00:22:57 GMT
References: <1991Mar14.033937.24699@cbnews.att.com>
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (william.b.thacker)
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From: cga66@ihlpy.att.com (Patrick V Kauffold)
The visibility to surface search radar is related most closely to
the size of the vessel; small boats have small radar cross-section,
and are harder to pick out of the sea return.

Surface search radars have to have filtering to pick out a real 
target from the sea return.  Doppler radar helps, but, since the
waves move around, it has limitations, too.  Plastic boats are
harder to see; return is mainly from engines, and rigging.

Wakes are highly visible from extreme distances, so high speed on
the surface will give good intel about course, speed, and numbers.
Wide-angle satellite photos show wakes very clearly.

The most stealthy craft is a plastic sailboat!  If you sail at night
offshore, it is a good idea to hoist a radar reflector to keep from
being run down by a freighter or tanker.