China Says Developing Low-Cost Radar That Can Track F-22 Stealth Fighters

China is reportedly developing a cheap radar system that can detect and track America’s F-22 Raptor, one of the world’s most advanced stealth fighter aircraft.

Researchers involved in the development process told the South China Morning Post that the new radar relies on a single receiving antenna, making it cheaper to produce and easier to deploy.

It also utilizes Beijing’s BeiDou navigation satellite system for effective tracking of hostile aerial assets.

Additionally, the low-cost radar does not emit signals, minimizing the risk of revealing its own location and being jammed by enemies.

Developers said they recently tested the system against a hypothetical F-22 target, demonstrating its ability to detect refraction patterns caused by stealth fighter jets.

Challenges

Lockheed Martin’s F-22 is known for its ability to evade radar and air defenses due to its advanced stealth capabilities.

The refraction patterns it emits are often weak, especially when obscured by buildings and trees, presenting a significant challenge for radar.

To address this, Chinese scientists claim to have employed a novel “blind detection” method that allows the detection of stealth target signals even in the presence of obstructions.

The radar incorporates an advanced algorithm originally devised by a Yugoslavian scientist for identifying hidden cyclic frequencies in electromagnetic signals.

Furthermore, the system can reportedly change frequency bands to the Global Positioning System, Russia’s GLONASS, or the European Galileo, ensuring uninterrupted operations in case BeiDou is compromised.

If these claims are accurate, the new radar could also potentially be used to detect other stealth aircraft, such as the F-35.