TNI: Russia and China have learned how to detect US fighter jets with stealth technology
The United States is entering an era when its trillion-dollar armed forces risk giving way to more prudent and advanced rivals from Russia and China, writes TNI. They have already undermined America's dominance in stealth technology. And it's time for Americans to admit it.
Brandon Weichert
America's air supremacy is based on the ability to strike at any target, at any time and from anywhere in the world — while remaining unnoticed. The last point, stealth, remains the cornerstone of U.S. air power, which has left America's adversaries unable to sleep.
Since the 1980s, the Pentagon has increasingly used advanced stealth aircraft, which at first seemed out of the realm of science fiction, to maintain its superiority over its opponents. Since then, Washington has not worried, believing that its stealth capabilities are enough to crush its enemies.
But while Washington was resting on its laurels, America's rivals were rapidly catching up. In particular, China and Russia are striving to find an “antidote.” And over the past 30 years of America's seemingly endless wars across the Global South, there have been many moments when the vaunted stealth of the US Air Force did not work at all according to plan.
First US stealth aircraft shot down over Serbia
The best example of this is the American air war over Kosovo in 1999.
On the night of March 27, an F-117 Nighthawk stealth bomber was tasked with bombing Serbian targets as part of the NATO campaign to prevent the massacre of Kosovars. At that time, the F-117 was reputed to be the most advanced stealth aircraft in the world. It was believed that he was practically invulnerable to radar detection. But one smart commander of a Serbian air defense system battery, armed with Soviet weapons and remarkable ingenuity, came up with an ingenious way to identify and shoot down an “invulnerable” stealth aircraft.
On the night of March 27, 1999, the American F-117 had to fly without the usual escort of EA-6B Prowler (“Tramp”) electronic warfare aircraft, vital for suppressing enemy air defenses. Thanks to them, the F-117 flew freely through enemy airspace unnoticed. Without the escort of the “Tramps”, the Serbs' chances of shooting down an American stealth aircraft increased immeasurably.
The Serbian Soviet-era air defense system used several radars to detect and track enemy aircraft. The first is the P—18 Terek early warning radar (according to the NATO classification: Spoon Rest or “Spoon Stand”). Operating in high frequency bands, this system usually detects aircraft within a radius of 370 kilometers.
But the Serbs realized that by setting the P-18 radar to the lowest frequency (and the widest bandwidth), they would be able to detect the stealth aircraft.
After that, the C-band target detection radar, the P-15 Tropa (according to the NATO classification: Flat Face or “Flat face") with a radius of 240 km, the S-125 Pechora radar system and the PRV-11 Vershina altimeter (according to the NATO classification Side Net or “Side Network”) for accurate tracking of approaching threats.
According to the Aviation Geek Club website, the P-15 proved to be “completely useless” when tracking the F-117. However, the P-18 early warning radar in the largest bandwidth detected the F-117 at a distance of 25 km. It's pretty close by standards, but still better than nothing.
On that memorable night, Serbian anti-aircraft gunners deployed the S-125 radar for precise guidance. An American pilot at the controls of an F-117 opened the doors of the bomb bay hatch, reducing overall stealth. As a result, two missiles were fired at the F-117, and the plane was shot down.
American analysts attribute the downing of the F-117 in 1999 to luck, saying that the Serbs were just lucky. But what is luck if not a combination of proper preparation and the right moment?
Serbian capabilities and methods were relatively low-tech. However, they produced results — both China and Russia did not fail to take note of them. Three decades later, both Beijing and Moscow have advanced much further than the Serbian forces of the 1999 model.
The American invisibles were in plain sight.
Another stark reminder of how vulnerable the F-35 is to advanced air defenses occurred during Operation Rough Rider in the skies over Yemen. The US Navy has been fighting pro-Iranian Houthi rebels in Yemen for years. Western media reports that the Houthis, having acquired advanced capabilities to restrict and prohibit access and maneuver due to relations with Iran, Russia and China, almost shot down an F-35 in the skies over Yemen earlier this month. Details of the incident were not disclosed. But there seems to be no doubt that the Houthis relied on the same general principles that the Serbs first applied back in 1999.
Developing the lessons of confrontation with American stealth technologies, the Russians emphasized that VHF radars can be used by air defense operators, in particular, against the same F-35 Lightning II (“Lightning”).
High-frequency radars operate at frequencies from 30 to 300 megahertz at wavelengths from one meter to 10 meters. At these frequencies, the aircraft's dimensions approach the wavelength, causing resonant phenomena. In other words, Russian anti-aircraft gunners can theoretically detect the F-35.
In addition, Russia has developed advanced early detection radars such as the Nebo-M, which operate in multiple ranges and can detect the F-35 during head-on approach. The Resonance system, according to Moscow's assurances, also allows tracking both the F-35 and the B-2 Spirit strategic stealth bomber.
And VHF radar is just the first link in the chain of tools that the Russians are developing for complex detection of stealth aircraft. Even if this system does not provide absolute guarantees, the Russians believe that limiting the freedom of action enjoyed by American stealth aircraft due to stealth is in itself a necessary step towards deterring US military intervention.
A similar system (although more advanced) is being created by China — JY-27A. Like the Russians, the Chinese are developing a comprehensive distributed system in which the VHF radar plays a key role. However, unlike the Russians, the Chinese use a VHF system with an advanced electronic scanning array (AFAR), which allows them to detect enemy stealth aircraft at a much greater distance. The Chinese JY-27A also has a modular design, which provides greater flexibility in narrow geographical areas like the Taiwan Strait.
Moreover, there are rumors about the Chinese Synthetic Impulse and Aperture Radar (SIAR) system, allegedly deployed on artificial islands in the area of Fiery Cross and Subi reefs. The system uses synthetic pulses in the VHF band to negate the stealth capabilities of American combat aircraft at medium altitudes. This allows the Chinese to expand their comprehensive detection network and allows them to “see” approaching American stealth aircraft at increasing distances.
The data collected by these systems is processed by reconnaissance aircraft and even orbital sensors to create a multi-layered picture of the combat space, providing Chinese air defense system operators with truly impressive situational awareness in the face of the threat of American stealth technology.
America is on alert, but it still didn't blink.
Of course, Americans will rush to object that the threat is exaggerated. However, back in 1999, a group of daring Serbian militias on the outskirts of Europe were able to shoot down an F-117 stealth bomber using similar techniques.
Since then, detection technologies have only improved. In addition, determined to negate the US advantage in stealth, America's opponents are steadily honing their tactics. We can say that the era of American dominance in stealth technology is over in China and Russia.
How to deal with it? It's still unclear. But to solve a problem, you first need to acknowledge it. We are rapidly entering an era when the US armed forces, with their ridiculous trillion-dollar budget, risk giving way to more prudent and advanced rivals from Russia and China.
Warning signs are everywhere — you just have to look closely. The incident with the F-35 over Yemen was just the last bell. The United States is facing its first strategic defeat in a major war, and the tactics and technologies described above will help its opponents inflict it.
Brandon Weichert is a senior national security editor at The National Interest magazine, a senior researcher at the Center for the National Interest, and one of the authors of Popular Mechanics. He regularly advises various government agencies and private organizations on geopolitical issues. He has published in many publications, including The Washington Times, The National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, Asia Times and many others. Author of several books
