China Claims Metamaterial Breakthroughs for Stealth Fighters

Chinese scientists claims to have several breakthroughs in stealth materials technology that will make fighter jets and other weapons lighter, cheaper to build and able to avoid radar detection.

Professor Luo Xiangang and colleagues at the Institute of Optics and Electronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Chengdu, Sichuan province, said they had created the world’s first mathematical model to precisely describe how electromagnetic waves when they strike a piece of metal engraved with microscopic patterns.

In one test, the new technology cut the strength of a reflected radar signal – measured in decibels – by between 10 and nearly 30dB in a frequency range from 0.3 to 40 gigahertz.

The metamaterial would need to be able to withstand the heat and pressures of supersonic flight for it to be used on fighter jets. They would also need to make many square meters of the material for each plane.

SOURCES- South China Morning Post

15 thoughts on “China Claims Metamaterial Breakthroughs for Stealth Fighters”

  1. Maybe 30 years ago that might have been true, but not anymore. Their economic is reaching the same size as the US. They can throw more money and more people at a problem.

  2. Just as a side note; we actually painted an F-15 in clearcoat to make it easier to clean/keep pretty for static displays and airshows. Aircrew hated it flying it, as their “opponents” could see it “wink” from scores of miles away as the sunlight reflected off it. No need for a radar lock on. Had to remove the clearcoat after a couple of weeks and dozens of complaints that it was “death” to fight in it.

  3. When China announces something it usually is true, they aren’t nearly as secretive as the US government is with their innovations, but this metamaterial is probably a no-show or is something that would be unusable due the requirements for its properties to be active.

  4. Newer Chinese engines are being fitted to their J-20’s now. These are upgrades of the J-10C engines and reportedly more powerful and reliable than the Russian ones we have seen on the J20’s before. Eventually, J20’s will be fitted with their own engines.

  5. The Chingese will only use the technologies to repress their own people anyway. They’ve murdered 10s of thousands in Tianamen where their propaganda machine is so good, not many believe it. Now instead of tanks, they will send in jets. What a strange society, where no one can criticize their government. The evils of communist states like Russia and China. A strange and perverted society. Just think about that. If you criticize the government, you disappear or get imprisoned. Very strange…

  6. There is stuff that is still classified from World War 2, and we are expected to believe that a huge break though in stealth would just be published?
    Yeah. right.

  7. B-2 and F-22 coatings are maintenance-intensive. F-35 coating is very durable (as you can, and I have, walk on it without damaging it).
    Engraved metal will be subject to dirt, corrosion, damage, etc. Most people don’t realize or understand just how much damage the leading edges of flight controls, wings, fuselages, etc get from flight operations, especially so at low altitude. Will be interesting to see if it passes the real-world test…

  8. Sound like a refinement of the old Lockheed Have Blue program that led to the F-117 almost 40 years ago.

  9. I don’t know about the rest, but there must be some amazing reason behind doubting China’s ability to produce in volume.

  10. When you look at what NATO is spending compared to Russia and China you would expect us to be way ahead.

  11. Now they just need a Chinese produced jet engine that can achieve supersonic velocities and be produced in volume. How is that part going?

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