Possible Foreign Sources of Stealth and Counter Stealth Technology

            While it is not new technology, the development of radar evading stealth as well as counter-stealth technology remain critical elements of future warfare.  PRC expert Cao Benyi has stated, “…it is necessary for China to make every effort to develop stealth technology, to develop stealth, and to do what is necessary to enable China’s stealth technology to catch up with the world’s most advanced level of such technology in a short time.”[56]  As Cao suggests, the PRC is investing heavily in stealth and counter-stealth technology.  At the 1998 Zhuhai Air Show the Chinese company Seek Optics revealed its work on coatings designed to deflect radar energy, and on computer programs for aiding the design of stealthy objects.  By using imported supercomputers and commercial “finite element analysis software,” the PRC is believed to be able to calculate the radar reflectivity of shaped objects.[57] There are also reports that China may apply stealth coatings to improve the penetrating capability of combat aircraft like the Xian JH-7 strike fighter.[58]  Stealth coatings will also likely be used to improve the capabilities of future land-attack cruise missiles. A 2001 report cited a Pentagon source as estimating the PLA would have a stealthy cruise missile operational in 2003.[59]

            The PLA is already demonstrating its ability to apply stealth technology. In 2002 and 2003 the PLA demonstrated its application of stealth principles to naval warship design in three stunning new ships, the No. 168 and No. 170 class air defense destroyers and a new “Type 054”frigate. With very smooth hull sides and an application of radar-absorbent materials, these ships could prove to be nearly as stealthy as Taiwan’s French-made LAFAYETTE-class frigates.  In fact, Taiwanese authorities investigating corruption charges surrounding the sale of the French frigates believe that France gave the PRC classified data on the LAFAYETTE frigate to mollify its opposition to the sale.[60]  Russia is another potential source for naval stealth technology given the PLA’s relationship with Russia’s naval builders.  Russia has experience in building stealthy ships such as the Project 17 Talwar class frigates for India, and in 2003 unveiled its even stealthier Project 20830 destroyer.   

            The PLA is also applying stealth concepts to combat aircraft. At the 2002 Zhuhai Airshow, a new stealthy advanced air-superiority fighter concept was revealed briefly in a promotional video.  Thought to be a product of the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, this design features a chiseled nose, flat fuselage surfaces and internal weapon carriage in a manner similar to the stealthy U.S. Lockheed-Martin F/A-22A.  Another area of possible PRC interest is in “plasma stealth,” which uses a charged ion field in or around an object that absorbs radio frequency energy, such as from radar, creating stealth.  Russia developed this technology and apparently was to apply it to both contending Mikoyan Article 1.44 and Sukhoi Su-37 Berkut 5^th generation fighters.  PRC reports note that Russia is now working on its second generation of plasma stealth technology.[61]  The Russians have determined that plasma stealth may be unsuitable for low-altitude platforms, but are developing applications for use on high-speed high-altitude cruise missiles.[62]  It is possible that the PLA could obtain this technology as part of new Russian supersonic cruise missiles, reverse engineer it, and apply it to future PLA missiles and combat aircraft.

Due to the critical importance of stealth for future U.S. combat platforms, it is to be expected that China would also devote considerable energy to the development of counter-stealth technology.  One area of long-term PLA interest is Metric-Wave radar technology.  This radar technology dates back to the 1930s and uses large radio frequency wavelengths, whereas most passive stealth technology is designed to counter far smaller wavelengths of modern radar.  At the 1998 Zhuhai show the 23^rd Institute of the China Aerospace Co. was marketing their “J-231” metric-wave radar which its claimed had “high anti-stealth” capability.[63]  The PLA has several types of Metric-Wave radar and even employs one on its latest No. 170 class destroyer, which will likely carry the PLA Navy’s first high frequency active phased array radar. When combined with modern computers, metric-wave technology has great counter-stealth potential.  In fact, at the 2001 Moscow Airshow Russian company marketing such improved metric-wave radar complained bitterly that China had stolen its technology.[64]

The PLA is also known to be interested in bi-static radar, which uses separated transmitter and receiver, and multi-static radar, as a means to defeat stealth.  The PLA is also reported to be interested in other novel counter-stealth detectors such as Passive Coherent detection.  This technology is able to discern disruptions in broadcast television signals or cell-phone signals to find moving bodies.  In the scandal that followed 2002 U.S. accusations of their sale to Iraq, the Ukrainian government confirmed that it had sold its KOLCHUGA passive radar to the PRC.  With a radius of action of 600km, the KOLCHUGA is advertised as being able to detect and recognize the PATRIOT missile, F-15, F-16, F-22, MIRAGE-2000, RC-135, E-2 and E-3 AWACS and the F-177 and B-2 stealth bombers.[65] These are all weapon systems that would be used by the U.S. and Taiwan to defend against a PLA attack on Taiwan. 

By VOA News
23 August 2007

Russia has unveiled a mock-up of a pilotless bomber jet that Russian engineers say will evade enemy radars even better than U.S. Stealth bombers and fighters.

Russian television Thursday showed a full-size model of the bat-like jet at an ongoing international air show outside Moscow. The report said the so-called "Skat" aircraft is equipped to carry cruise missiles and can hit targets both at land and at sea.

President Vladimir Putin in June vowed to build up Russia's military capabilities, in response to U.S. plans to deploy a missile defense system in central Europe.

Since then, Moscow has resumed the Soviet-era practice of sending long-range bomber flights on regular patrols across the globe. Mr. Putin has also unveiled a new air defense system near Moscow, and ordered the production of an intercontinental ballistic missile for a new generation of nuclear submarines.

RUSSIAN STEALTH BOMBER FOR SERVICE BY 2010, HEADLINES