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Antenna load matching, stealth fighter technique

Latch
In designing an antenna the transmit and receive loads need to be the same. I am wondering is there a way to have differing loads on the transmit and receive modes?
 
For example, I want the antenna to be highly reflective of incoming signals but have an ideal signal when transmitting. This is just my way of trying to understand the way stealth vehicles mask their radio signatures.
 
Latch
  • 0

    The goal of a stealth fighter is not to reflect any signals in the direction of the signal source (Radar station) All incoming signals must be absorbed or reflected to a wide spread area. Wideband antennas that are well matched lead all incoming signals to the (50 Ohm) load. The best way is to use a wideband antenna and a receiver front end giving a good match over a wide frequency band.  For further improvement, the radar reflecting surface of antennas can be made small.  When a stealth fighter is transmitting, it can easily be detected by directional finder receivers, (not by radar systems).  Antennas can be made as a slot in the metal frame, covered with a radio transparent surface. Stealth airplanes need several receivers and transmitters for contact with the tower during departure and landing and to avoid collisions when flying in crowded areas.

  • 0

    Take a look at solid state plasma antennas.  They can dynamically tune themselves to needed frequencies and they have minimal radar cross sections when not active.

     

    As for stealth in general http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stealth_technology