SOVIET WORK ON RADAR CROSS SECTION REDUCTION APPLICABLE TO A FUTURE STEALTH PROGRAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86R00254R000100050001-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 13, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: February 1, 1984
• Content Type: REPORT

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m) Intelligence
Soviet Work on Radar
Cross Section Reduction
Applicable to a Future
Stealth Program F
Secret
SW 84-10015
February 1984
Copy 3 3 /
,'FN\ Directorate of Secret
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f Intelli
ence
g
Soviet Work on Radar
Cross Section Reduction
Applicable to a Future
Stealth Program F
The author of this paper is I (Office of
Scientific and Weapons Research. Comments and
queries are welcome and may be directed to the
Chief, Air Defense Branch, OSWR, on
Secret
SW 84-10015
February 1984
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Soviet Work on Radar
Cross Section Reduction
Applicable to a Future
Stealth Program E:]
Key Judgments We feel certain that the Soviets did not have a Stealth program in the
Information available 1970s-a program that uses both body shaping and radar-absorptive
as of 1 November 1983 materials to attain a true low-observable aircraft or any other platform.
was used in this report.
Because of the obvious high US interest in this area, the Soviets probably
began an intensified research effort in the early 1980s which may have led
to a developmental program now under way. Such a program could be well
along before we become aware of it.
For the last 20 years the Soviets have used-with modest success-radar-
absorptive materials or paint on submarines, reentry vehicles, aircraft, and
possibly on spacecraft and ground vehicles. Their results are not compara-
ble to the best US work, but the Soviet work has continued to improve in
both quantity and quality. Given the attention to Stealth in the United
States, Soviet application probably will become more widespread in the
future. Most certainly, the Soviets will be highly motivated to assess US
achievements in radar cross section reduction to improve their own
position. An analysis of Soviets' open literature indicates that their
understanding of the theory of radar cross section reduction is comparable
to that in the United States.
A number of Western countries also have begun programs to reduce
aircraft radar cross sections. As the technology becomes more widespread,
technology transfer to the Soviets could begin to play a significant role in
enhancing their work.
The Soviets probably will deploy in this decade some retrofitted aircraft
and cruise missiles whose radar cross sections in the forward sector will
have been reduced by a factor of 10. Such programs would primarily
involve the application of radar-absorptive materials to existing platforms.
The cross sections of bombers could be reduced in this manner to about 1
square meter; those of fighter aircraft could be reduced to a fraction of a
square meter; and those of cruise missiles could be reduced to less than
one-hundredth of a square meter. In some tactical engagements, such
reductions would provide a significant advantage. Retrofitted aircraft or
cruise missiles would be difficult to detect visually because there would be
very little change in their external appearance.
Secret
SW 84-10015
February 1984
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Technology applicable to RCS reduction has already
been transferred to the Soviet Union. We expect such
transfer to enhance Soviet work in radar-absorptive
materials since much of the progress in the area has
been based on trial and error. Soviet interest in
acquiring composite material technology probably is
driven by different aerospace applications, but the
information could be applied to developing vehicles
with reduced RCS.
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