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It is not possible (with today's technology) to make a plane completely invisible, but there are techniques to reduce the radar energy being reflected to the radar aerial. If reduced enough, the aircraft may appear smaller than it is, or even be classified by the system or operator as a non-aircraft. The aim is to reduce the Radar Cross Sectional Area (RCA) of the plane.

This technology is commonly referred to as 'stealth'. Modern stealth aircraft have an RCA much smaller than 1 square metre and in some circumstances can be as low as that of a large bird.



The most noticeable method of reducing RCA is to eliminate right angles and especially internal angles of 90 degrees. This is because energy entering will be reflected straight back the way it came. By using curves and obtuse or acute angles the energy is instead reflected away from the radar source. Use of clean lines and unbroken surfaces also reduces bumps and protrusions which also increase the RCA. By comparing a modern stealth fighter to older aircraft, it is clear that care has been taken to eliminate any feature which would reflect radar energy.


Another less obvious technique is to use radar absorbent paint. This expensive material works best against specific wavelengths of radar and will dramatically reduce the reflected energy. It works by allowing a proportion (about 50%) of the energy to be reflected and the remainder to penetrate. If the paint is exactly 1/4 of a wavelength think (hence the expense!) it will reflect off the inner paint surface and be 'antiphase' as it emerges again. This cancels out much of the radar energy in the same way that ripples in a pond from two pebbles cause patterns of high and low ripples.


Combinations of techniques such as these can reduce the aircraft RCA to that below the capability of most radars to detect at normal range. As the aircraft approached the radar emitter the radar signal will be increased until it is recognisable as an aircraft. However, by avoiding flying close to radars it may be possible to avoid detection at all, or at the least until it is too late to be a problem for the mission.

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15y ago

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