Quantum Radar Could Detect Stealth Planes ran the headline in April telling the world that scientists from the University of Waterloo in Canada were developing so-called 'quantum radar' technology that could detect stealth aircraft. At first blush the headlines and articles which heralded this news around the world implied that almost fifty years of research and practice which has worked to reduce the Radar Cross Section (RCS), not to mention billions of dollars of development and procurement costs sunk into minimising an airframe's visibility to Radio Frequency (RF) energy, could be rendered null and void. Yet as this article will illustrate, reports of the demise of 'stealth' aircraft may be greatly exaggerated with such predictions the results of misunderstandings as to how low RCS technology works, the important difference between detecting such an aircraft; and detecting it in a meaningful and usable fashion to enable a successful engagement with a Surface-to-Air or Air-to-Air Missile (SAM/AAM).
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