Recent reports from China hint at potential progress on plasma stealth technology for military aircraft. According to the South China Morning Post, scientists and engineers have been developing methods to use ionized gas to reduce planes’ radar signatures. If fully functional, this unconventional approach could enhance stealth capabilities beyond current techniques. However, uncertainties remain about its viability and near-term deployment.
The core idea behind plasma stealth is to surround key parts of an aircraft with ionized gas or plasma that can absorb or deflect radar waves. This could theoretically enable stealth at the level of invisibility when activated. More common stealth approaches rely instead on specialized structural designs and radar-absorbent materials to minimize detection. Though plasma stealth concepts have existed for years, practical applications have faced substantial hurdles.
Recently, researchers at China’s state-run Xian Aerospace Propulsion Institute have reportedly made progress on overcoming these challenges. Led by scientist Tan Chang, the team has ostensibly developed a “closed electron beam plasma stealth device” using selective plasma targeting of vulnerable areas like the radar dome. Tan claims this makes the system simpler, more adjustable, and energy-efficient compared to earlier broad plasma systems.
The group has supposedly tested two plasma generation techniques so far. One involves coating aircraft sections with radioactive isotopes that ionize nearby air. The other uses targeted high-frequency electrical discharges to create a plasma field outside the plane. Both methods have allegedly passed initial ground and flight trials. Tan has also outlined a novel detached plasma generator design with purported advantages in control, efficiency, and aircraft integration.
According to Tan and his colleagues, their prototypes have already demonstrated effective stealth capabilities in testing. They express confidence that with further development, the technology could be incorporated into Chinese combat aircraft soon. Some take this as evidence of China’s rapidly advancing defense capabilities. But skepticism remains about the progress claims and potential obstacles.
Without access to performance specifications and data, it is difficult to objectively evaluate the viability of the reported plasma system. Engineering plasma stealth poses complex challenges. Extensive flight testing in diverse conditions would be essential to prove the concepts before deployment could be considered. Retrofitting existing aircraft may also face integration difficulties. Concerns exist that the plasma field could temporarily blind the plane’s own radar systems during operation.
While promising in theory, practical implementation likely remains distant and uncertain. Near-term claims of operability could be inflated. The researchers may be downplaying the underlying technical hurdles. Even if the system functions as reported, it may struggle to meet power, maintenance, and reliability requirements for sustained real-world operations. Moving beyond controlled trials to robust integration could take many years if achievable.
Broader strategic questions also persist about plasma stealth’s ultimate necessity and focus solely on evading radar detection. Radar capabilities continuously evolve as well, including shifting to new bands difficult for plasma to block. Admiral and Air Chief Marshal Sir Philip Jones has argued stealth may be losing relevance as detection moves beyond radar, like with networked sensors. Russia has also had a plasma stealth program since the 1990s but ultimately abandoned it.
In the near-term, China’s plasma stealth efforts are better characterized as preliminary and aspirational. There is insufficient evidence to confirm an operational breakthrough is imminent. Reaching that milestone may require extensive further work if feasible at all. However, if the technology can be successfully proven over time, it could eventually shift the aerial combat landscape. Definitive assessments will have to wait until specific details can be reliably verified. For now, the future impact and pace of progress remain ambiguous.
