It used a new ‘passive radar’ system that analyzes how civilian communications – such as radio and TV broadcasts and mobile phone stations – bounce off airborne objects.
This, the firm says, renders the jet’s stealth technology, that is designed to absorb ground based radar to stop it reflecting back, redundant.
The new radar has no emitters so pilots do not realize they are entering a monitored area – but it relies on there being civilian communication waves.
Interesting, but unless it can generate enough of a return for an antiaircraft missile to home in on — detection and missile tracking are two very different things — then I’m not sure how useful it is.
Retired Marine Maj. Dan Flatley told Business Insider why pilots of America’s most expensive weapons system weren’t afraid of Russian or Chinese counterstealth.
“Adversaries have to build a kill chain,” said Flatley, a former F-35 pilot. Just because a radar can find an object — and Russian VHF radars can spot F-35s — doesn’t mean it can fix, track, target, and consummate that kill chain with a missile hit, he said.
“We’re not trying to prevent every aspect of that chain, just snap one of those links,” Flatley said.
Still, a development to keep an eye on.