F-20 radar capabilities allows the U.S. Pentagon experts surprised

Successful test flight of China's fourth-generation combat aircraft F -20, make people excited, but many people find that the aircraft is not equipped with drum kit shaped infrared search system-IRST issued -20 F equipped doubt. The Pentagon had been hired experts to study the Chinese J-20 photoelectric radar systems, very surprised experts, concluded that more than T50 fighter predictive value, but did not give a clear-cut explanation for contrast and F22, and F35, did not elaborate,.

In fact, this is a good thing, this expression F -20 equipment may be distributed photovoltaic systems, advanced deeds of Luoyang photoelectric system car macro comrades set out under the Aviation newspapers, which reported the car macro headed by Comrade integrated photovoltaic system project team developed . His meticulous organization, innovation, breaking a series of key technologies, demonstration flight after dozens of vehicles, a number of indicators have reached the international advanced level, currently known for its world-class photovoltaic system is distributed photovoltaic systems.

Why the F -20 unlike the Russian T-50 use the drum kit shaped infrared search and track system, I believe that this expression of the F-20 stealth ability is stronger than the T-50, we know that the greatest feature is the fourth-generation combat aircraft stealth performance for the fighter, the main beam control to reduce the aircraft RCS-RCS beam control measures taken include; parallel to the leading edge of the aircraft, so that you can control the radar beam in a few fixed direction, the other direction of reflected wave is weak, so that in these the direction of the radar signal received just flashes, not easy to identify, and then the lugs of the aircraft, drum kits and crevice, these Although not main reflection source of the aircraft, the radar waves reflected beam intensity. weak, but when the aircraft shape stealth measures to reduce the RCS, these aircraft RCS can not be ignored, for stealth aircraft, to the extent possible to eliminate various projections of the surface of the aircraft, drum kits, and the design gap for the zigzag shaped, allowed to the jagged edges parallel to the leading edge of the aircraft, and to the extent possible, the aircraft's radar several reflected beam into the combat aircraft RCS minimize.

The stealth aircraft requirements for installation IRST cause a lot of trouble, because the shorter the wavelength of the infrared, preferably directional, therefore difficult as microwave in the skin below can obtain a full range of coverage capability, infrared devices is so arranged in a plurality of directions window in order to get the full range of images, in particular, the most important front of fighter aircraft airborne radar in the nose installation to occupy most of the head space IRST installation had no choice but to retreat, plus infrared light can not be through skin detection target, infrared devices to be prominent in the body, which is why traditional drum kit shaped the IRST basically installed in the cockpit before the main reason, but the disadvantage of such layout is to increase the aircraft's RCS and drag, so for a stealth aircraft said IRST layout is a challenge. The solution is distributed integrated photovoltaic systems.

Currently only one, F-35 combat aircraft abroad distributed photovoltaic systems on 35 distributed photovoltaic systems composed of two parts: optical targeting system (EOST) and the photoelectric distributed aperture sensor system (EODAS ), wherein EODAS system 6 photoelectric sensors respectively mounted six specific parts of the fuselage, using advanced signal encoding to collect a variety of information in the range of 360 degrees. EODAS navigation, missile warning and infrared search and track (IRST), and situational awareness for pilots higher visual acuity and night close formation flying combat missions as well as the implementation of complex meteorological conditions. A spherical field of view can be provided through the fusion of background data for the pilot, the high sensitivity of the sensor it has a powerful situational awareness, missile warning and infrared search and tracking capabilities.

Due the EODAS detector accuracy is also unable to meet the requirements for use of ground attack, the F-35 is also equipped with a EOST system responsible for the ground attack, EOST F 35 passive infrared detection means. The system integrates a forward-looking infrared imaging (FLIR), infrared search and track (IRST) and a laser pointer targeting (LTD), equivalent to the traditional photo radar, forward looking infrared imaging pod and target designation targeting pod function together as a whole, thus eliminating the need for traditional sensor equipment cabin / pod, EOST located in the nose, equipment cabin to adopt similar gems complex plane, which can scatter radar waves, to reduce the impact of aircraft RCS, EOST can Standoff target narrow field of view, high-resolution imaging, the automatic infrared search and track laser pointer, ranging and laser spot tracking function, has the accurate detection and identification capability, long-range missile warning capability, laser positioning and targeting capabilities, guided laser guided weapons, precision strike ground targets.

China from the 1960s started to develop airborne infrared search and track system, initially developed is installed in F-6 aircraft flight dimethyl airborne infrared detection system, the system uses the unit of lead sulfide devices, detect closer, anti- interference and therefore not put into practical use, and into the 1980s, China began to develop a new generation of airborne IRST system, significant technological advances of the system than the first generation system, line column indium antimonide array devices, tailgating detection of combat aircraft distance of up to about 40 km, head-on is 15 km, started to develop a new generation of airborne IRST system on the basis of the system, China's Luoyang Optoelectronic Center experts to develop team headed by Comrade cars macro overcome a key component performance superscalar multiple technical problems in the new century, the successful development of China's new generation of airborne IRST system, the system is now in mass production alternative made F -11 aircraft Russian system, and have also been installed at the top of the domestic new combat aircraft such as the F-10B new means of detection, combat aircraft for domestic history of the end of China's airborne IRST systems rely on imports, to increase the autonomy of the Chinese Air Force combat capability.

Prominent body of active duty onboard the IRST system still need to achieve omnidirectional coverage of the airspace, so I can not F -20 supporting team headed by Comrade cars macro start a new generation of integrated optoelectronic systems developed from information point of view, the system is a distributed photovoltaic systems similar to the F-35, F -20 is the future of the Air Force to win air supremacy over the backbone and main, I believe that the F -20 equipped with a new generation of integrated optoelectronic systems should and F- the 35 EODAS are similar, that is multiple optics to achieve omnidirectional aerial coverage, the approximation system detection, warning, missile consider to control the weight of the aircraft and the impact on RCS, -20 F may not will be equipped EOTS system, indicating that China's F -20 stealth performance on a very important position to consider.

Said earlier fighters first beam shape control design, and then began to consider the projection of the surface of the aircraft, the F -20 of distributed photovoltaic systems have reached a certain height that its shape stealth prominent photoelectric system has become a main scattering source needs to be given to eliminate the other is that the F-20 avionics system is similar to the F-35 avionics system is integrated RF concept Pave system, due to a large number of distributed photovoltaic systems untreated intermediate data needs to be passed, it can be speculated that the F-20 avionics system transmission medium is fiber-optic-based, and Luoyang Optoelectronic Technology Center has been on display at the 2010 Zhuhai Air integrated processing system, from the picture, the system with F similar to a -35 a comprehensive treatment system, the use of multiple generic data, the signal processing module with powerful information processing capabilities, which is -20 F with the material basis of distributed photovoltaic systems. By comparison, even the F-22 fighter, is limited by the level of technology at the time, also unable to adopt distributed photovoltaic systems and T-50 uses a traditional turret photovoltaic systems, which makes had to let the outside world reservations about the information processing capabilities of the T-50 avionics system, this turret system also significantly increased the aircraft's RCS to look at the overall layout of the T-50, a prominent body IRST, without S-shaped The bent handle the inlet, and the use of metal windshield cockpit significantly increased the front of the aircraft to the RCS, leading to T-50 stealth performance greatly reduced.

I believe that our F -20 with distributed photovoltaic systems, because the stealth aircraft in air combat, photovoltaic systems could be enhanced significantly decreased performance due to the use of stealth technology, radar, radar range equation, radar detection range of the target RCS is proportional to the fourth root, that is, when the target RCS down 1/10, the radar detection range is reduced by about half, according to the overseas media speculated the F -20's RCS 0.05 m2, and F -22 0.01 or so, while airborne fire control radar of the RCS = 5 square meters of the target detection range of about 100-200 km, so F -20 RCS equivalent to its 1%, the detection range is reduced by 1 / about 3, and the F-22 is about 1/5, in addition, electronic warfare systems are constantly technology, modern airborne fire control radar commonly used concept of LPI mode with burst mode, especially the new AESA can be accomplished quickly detecting and identifying targets.

However, with the popularity of radio frequency storage technology, modern electronic support systems for the detection capabilities of AESA also continue to improve, so for the stealth fighter, the the radar boot time as short as possible, but not open for fighter radar means lost means master of the the battlefield air situation information, and more dependent on external information and intelligence support system, but then state-of-the-art system can not be guaranteed to be effective detection of all targets in the battlefield, especially when other stealth aircraft is so, there is the stealth aircraft and external information and intelligence support systems for the exchange of information is also a problem, stealth aircraft is equipped with general directional data chain is better, but the use is limited in scope, thus reducing the information with external information and intelligence support systems exchange capacity, so it is possible to cause the other fighter to avoid detection of our information systems, to approaching our fighters launched a surprise attack, when the stealth combat aircraft to another means of detection, in order to still be able to boot radar maintaining mastery of the surrounding air situation, photovoltaic systems are passive detection system, and does not emit electromagnetic waves, good for hiding becomes the only choice.

The photovoltaic system of the biggest advantages is that its stealth aircraft's ability to detect stealth aircraft are mainly concentrated in the top of the radar stealth, infrared stealth considered less for jet engines, it is heating the air, expansion and then discharged to the formation of thrust Therefore the tail vents near temperature is higher, the main objective of the infrared detection system, In addition to the fourth-generation combat aircraft, with supersonic cruise capability, so that in the long flight, due to the friction and heat of the body and the air , allowing the aircraft to the body temperature rises, in addition to sun exposure to the body surface to make to increase the intensity of the infrared radiation, aircraft coated with stealth paint, the stealth paint the principle is the exposure to the radar waves converted into heat, in order to avoid the radio wave reflection, but the process will increase the temperature of the surface of the body.

Although some stealth aircraft will take some stealth measures, such as block the vents with a wing or tail - D nozzle and other measures, but they are not fundamentally solve the problem because of the stealth fighter who is a key indicator of but also integrated other performance full consideration, such as the use of the S-shaped nozzle and jet ejected before the incorporation of the cold air, can effectively reduce the temperature of the vents and wake, but this will result in the loss of thrust, and an increase in aircraft weight, thus reducing the mobility of the aircraft, so the S-shaped spout only be used in the F-117 stealth attack aircraft the dual tail vents to keep the F-22 used in the motor performance of the aircraft, so it will use infrared detection system space, which is why the Russian T-50 even pay RCS increase the price must use traditional IRST main reason, in fact, Lockheed also planned in the F-35 integrated photovoltaic systems based on the F-22 to develop a photoelectric system is envisaged that this show, we all pay more attention to the use of photovoltaic systems in the stealth fighter air combat.

For airborne fire control radar and air-to-air missiles, the head detection and emission can indeed repeat itself the largest detection and attack distance, so head-on attack is the best combat position the traditional BVRAC are generally guide the aircraft formerly Founder negative 30 long range into the attack, but a change has occurred in the era of stealth fighters, stealth aircraft focus before the stealth RCS minimum is in this direction, so that when the stealth fighter to enter the head-Elam shot, who may occur but not push, even the use of the long-wave radar to guide barely find each other BVR weapons equipped - active radar-guided air-to-air missile can not lock on to targets in the far distance, active radar-guided air-to-air missile RCS = 5 goal head detection range of about 20-30 km.

For stealth fighter decreased to about 6-10 kilometers, if the other party cast interference distance lower, and since the missile diameter and space is limited, it is difficult to use a large antenna and a larger power of the transmitter, the power supply, so as to achieve favorable the aperture power integrated discovery stealth aircraft, this means that the stealth fighter takes a long time for the missile to boot, so that is obviously very easy to expose, so the view of stealth combat aircraft air combat should be possible to enter from the side, the advantage is stealth combat aircraft side of the RCS is greater than the positive the RCS, while the side into the best position to avoid enemy radar detection, cut people from outside of the area of ​​enemy radar detection, shortened enemy intercepted and tracking time, hidden to meet the enemy, increasing the suddenness of the attack. The tactics using oblique right track to meet the enemy, and reaches a certain distance and then turned to the target to form a cross-heading in tactical guide is also relatively easy to implement.

But the drawback is that the target side, small radial velocity radar detection there are blind spots, may be missing the target, but for photovoltaic systems to detect the target from the side, the target organism exposed area of ​​the high intensity of the infrared radiation, especially the tail vents exposed in the field of view of the photovoltaic systems, photovoltaic systems ability to detect the target, combat aircraft mastery goals possible by virtue of photovoltaic systems, then hidden close to the target, the use of imaging infrared-guided air-to-air missile attack, but also has its own photovoltaic systems drawback is not precise distance target, thus unable to control weapons delivery, photovoltaic systems will increase under normal circumstances a laser ranging system to measure the distance to the target, and thus the fire control system to provide accurate target data for fire control data solver, but this will increase the weight and size of the system, for stealth aircraft may utilize the airborne AESA burst mode, to get the distance of the target, the other one hand distributed photovoltaic systems The aircraft can detect approaching the target, especially to detect each other fired air-to-air missiles, timely alerting pilots, so in a timely manner to circumvent.

In summary, distributed photovoltaic systems with given -20 F the larger tactical advantage, -20 F can not turn on the radar case still maintain a grasp fighters surrounding air situation, thereby enhancing the fighter combat performance and viability. External information systems support especially from the side close to the target, and then launched a surprise attack, and effective detection and identification of air targets approaching to prevent other sudden attack, comparatively speaking, F-22 does not turn on the radar 's on, only by virtue of the ALR-94 electronic support systems detect the target, but if they do not open the electronic system, apparently will not be able to detect the target, which is why Lockheed Martin has been the main hope for the F-22 is equipped with a photovoltaic system or side array reasons.

Distributed photovoltaic systems with the F -20 will have a sharp pair of Hawkeye, more comprehensive combat capability, and the ability to also stronger and can better adapt to a more complex battlefield environment.