When the U.S. Air Force launched a program to replace the legendary F-15 and F-16 fighter jets, interested contractors had to meet several requirements to participate. Among them was enabling the planes with advanced stealth technology, as the future fighter aircraft had to be able operate completely undetected.
In the end, the Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a substantial contract to build the F-22 Raptor, the new fighter jet. More than 20 years later, the American company has manufactured over 180 units. However, scientists working for the Chinese Air Force may have found a way to eliminate the F-22’s stealth advantage.
A New Detection Method to Pinpoint the F-22 Raptor Position
As reported by South China Morning Post, a team of researchers from the Air and Anti-Missile College at the Air Force Engineering University in Xian, China claim to have developed a new radar that can detect stealth fighters like the F-22 just as it would conventional fighter jets, making it a thousand of times better than the current technology.
The technology behind the new detection mechanism is complex, but the team of researchers has provided some data on the tests performed. According to the data, this mechanism can detect the F-22 Raptor’s real-time position with remarkable accuracy.
Chinese scientists state the new mechanism has a margin of error of approximately 65 feet (20 meters). This new system could be highly valuable for China’s armed forces, as it would allow them to share enemy aircraft position data with other defense entities such as their own fighter jets or with the operators of air defense missiles.
Researchers have also pointed out that this system can identify the target in a fraction of a second, which is very advantageous in the presence of F-22 fighters flying in formation. Another benefit of the new mechanism is its long detection range, which is better than the current state-of-the-art systems.
Using current technology, the Chinese Air Force needs to frequently deploy advanced equipment to particular areas. This isn't practical in real combat scenarios. The newly developed system solves this problem by adjusting the beam and power parameters to maximize the detection capability of current radar systems.
This research project has been developed by a university college affiliated with the Chinese Air Force, and it’s unclear when it will be implemented. Nevertheless, China’s efforts to enhance its air defense capabilities have not gone unnoticed.
