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From: sunny@sun.uucp (Sunny Kirsten)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Are Stealth Bombers "Really" Invisib - (nf)
Message-ID: <1678@sun.uucp>
Date: Sun, 9-Sep-84 15:45:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: sun.1678
Posted: Sun Sep  9 15:45:19 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 14-Sep-84 20:34:02 EDT
References: <683@ihuxj.UUCP> <29200144@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Lines: 25

Shades of KAL007 and (invisible to Russian radar) companion EC-135:

	I believe the stealth technology is based primarily on rounded
fusellage / wing curves to prevent anything like a right angle corner
which is exceptionally good at reflecting radar, and the application of
surface treatment which reduces the radar reflectivity of the surface.
The surface treatments may be applied to existing aircraft, but the
correct physical configuration requires new designs taking years.

	Independent of that is the use of Electronic Countermeasures
which actively apply an electronic signal to the environment to confuse
enemy radar into either not seeing you, or seeing you in a different
location than you actually occupy.  This technology is available now in
currently flying old-configuration aircraft.

	Note that everything which can be said of radar may also be
applied to UV, visible, and IR spectra.

	The Russians just got peeved at not being able to find the
EC-135 which was gathering intelligence about the Kamchatka peninsula
defenses, and the latest state of the art weapons the Rusianas were
testing, and shot down the only plane they could see on their radars.
American Enginuity is Scienterrific:  Electronic Warfare Works!!!
-- 
{ucbvax|decvax|ihnp4}!sun!sunny (Sunny Kirsten of Sun Microsystems)