DRDO Science Spectrum, March 2009, pp.

22-25 2009 DESIDOC

DRDO SCIENCE SPECTRUM 2009

Emerging Trends in Airborne Defence Technologies

Sreenath Bhat
Defence Avionics Research Establishment, Post Box No. 9366, CV Raman Nagar, Bangaluru-560 093

1.

INTRODUCTION

The electronic warfare and other airborne defence technologies have undergone a sea change in the last two decades. It is no secret that a nation having superiority over the electromagnetic spectrum will be the most powerful nation in the future war scenario. Laser, which falls in the IR, visible light, UV region of the electromagnetic spectrum, was earlier used by the military mostly for range Finding, target designation, and illumination. Lasers have also begun to be tested as directed-energy weapons. US has started developing airborne laser as an integral part of ballistic missile defence system. The provides an insight into the unique nature of the airborne laser installed on Boeing 747-400 aircraft and also discusses the potential use of airborne laser for future warfare applications. Usage of electromagnetic energy for the electronic attack (EA) missions is not new in airborne warfare, but the invention of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) bomb has totally multiplied the destructive potential of the electromagnetic energy. The EMP bomb generates a broad band, high intensity, low-duration burst of electromagnetic energy which disrupts or damages any electronic equipment miles away from the locus of explosion. The presentation broadly discusses the threat posed by an EMP bomb and its far reaching implications in the future war scenario. Stealth-technology is ever increasingly becoming a paramount tool in a battle where invisibility means invincibility. Able to strike with impunity, stealth aircraft and warships are virtually invisible to most types of military sensors. Usage of stealth technology in modern fighter aircraft has brought down the radar cross section (RCS) to a value as low as 0.025 m 2. The presentation brings out the basic principle of stealth and use of stealth technology for future fighter aircraft. The presentation also provides an overview of the future electronic warfare trends. The gaining importance of exclusive electronic attack aircraft for future warfare is briefly discussed. 2. INFRARED-BORNE LASER AS DIRECTED ENERGY WEAPON

for precise delivery of laser-guided bombs and laser designator is a classic example for use of laser for military applications. Off late, laser has found use in airborne laser altimeter for mapping the terrain. But the coming decade is going to witness the use of laser as a directed energy weapon. Laser as directed energy weapon has already found a place in the ballistic missile defence system programme of US. Using two solid state lasers and a megawatt-class chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL) housed aboard a modified Boeing 747- 400 freighter, the airborne lasers mission is to detect, track, target, and destroy ballistic missiles shortly after launch during the boost-phase. The revolutionary use of directed energy makes it unique among the airborne weapon systems, with a potential to attack multiple targets at the speed of light with a range of hundreds of kilometer. The airborne laser uses six strategically placed infrared sensors to detect the exhaust plume of a boosting missile. Once a target is detected, a kilowatt-class solid state laser, the track illuminator, tracks the missile and determines a precise aim point. The beacon Illuminator, a second kilowattclass solid state laser, then measures disturbances in the atmosphere, which are corrected by the adaptive optics system to accurately point and focus the high-energy laser at its intended target. Using a very large telescope located in the nose turret, the beam control/fire control system focuses the megawatt class COIL beam on to a pressurised area of the boosting missile, holding it there until the concentrated energy causes the missile to break apart. The airborne laser installed in Boeing 747-400 aircraft is shown in Fig-1.
Track Illuminator

Laser has been widely used by military for range finding, target designation and illumination of targets. The Litening targeting pod, which is equipped with a laser designator 22

Nose Turret Figure 1. Airborne laser installed on Boeing 747-400 aircraft.

BHAT : EMERGING TRENDS IN AIRBORNE DEFENCE TECHNOLOGIES

A smaller version of the airborne laser is also going to be installed on the Joint strike fighter. Apart from ballistic missile defence, use of airborne laser is envisaged for destroying enemy tanks and for detecting and destroying the shallow tethered mines in the battlefield. A prototype of airborne laser for battlefield application is being tried on Boeing C-130 aircraft. The airborne laser is so powerful that it can destroy a tank five miles away and 10000 feet up. Precise control over the beams aim allows it to hit a moving target a few inches wide and confine the damage to that space. Such precision will translate into less collateral damage than done by even todays most accurate missiles. The internal features of the airborne laser and the concept of airborne laser mine detection system is indicated in Figs 2 and 3, respectively. There is no doubt that airborne laser

will be the dominating directed energy weapon in the future war scenario. 3. CONCEPT OF BOMB The electronic attack is the most prominent phase of electronic warfare. One critical aspect of electronic attack is the ability to deny an opponent the reliable use of his own command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems, thereby permitting our military forces to operate freely throughout the battle space with minimal loss to hostile weapons. One best way to do so is using an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) bomb. An EMP bomb is a weapon designed to disable electronics with an electromagnetic pulse that can couple with electrical/electronic systems to produce damaging current and voltage surges by electromagnetic induction. The EMP bomb generates a broad band, high-intensity, low-duration burst of electromagnetic energy which disrupts or damages electronics miles away from the locus of explosion. The high intensity electromagnetic pulse can be generated using a low scale nuclear explosion at high altitudes. Although the electric field created from an EMP lasts for only a short time, its effects can be devastating. It is predicted that a single high altitude burst 200 miles above US could propagate an EMP enveloping the entire US. Electrical systems connected to things that can conduct current like wires, antennas, and metal objects will suffer significant damage. EMP effects on electronics include interference of radio frequency links, irreparable damage to microcircuits, and even the disabling of satellites. Thus EMP bomb could be the super weapon of the future which could paralyse enemy in a matter of a few seconds. Pentagon has predicted the use of EMP bombs by 2012. An electromagnetic pulse starts with a short, intense burst of gamma rays produced from nuclear detonation. The gamma rays interact with the atoms in air molecules through a process called the Compton Effect, wherein electrons are scattered at high energies, thus ionising the atmosphere and generating a powerful electrical field. The strength of the EMP depends highly on the altitude at which it is released. At altitudes above 30,000 m, it is the strongest. It is also significant at surface or low-altitude bursts, but is not as effective between the two extreme as for surface or low-altitude bursts. EMP effect could also be triggered using an explosively pumped flux compression generator (EPFCG) used to generate a high-power electromagnetic pulse by compressing magnetic flux using high explosive. An EPFCG can be used only once as a pulsed power supply since the device is physically destroyed during operation. An EPFCG package that could be easily carried by a person can produce pulses in the

Beam Turret Beam Optical Laser Control Bench Beam Expander

Resonator Sealed Pressurized Exhaust Nitrogen

Figure 2. Airborne laser for battlefield application on Boeing C-130 aircraft.

Airborne Laser Mine Detection System : The key to assured access.

Figure 3. Concept of airborne laser mine detection system (ALMDS) concept. Source : Northrop grumman.

Figure 4. A cut away view of the flux compression generator.

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DRDO SCIENCE SPECTRUM 2009

millions of ampere and tens of terawatt, exceeding the power of a lightning strike by orders of magnitude. Today scientists are working diligently on the creation of EMP bombs that can target artillery shells and missiles and disrupt their trajectory in mid-flight. They could be of crucial assistance in todays urban warfare where one bomb could take out an enemys electrical infrastructure before the arrival of ground troops. Thus at the blink of an eye, the EMP bomb can throw the civilisation back by 200 years. There is no doubt that EMP bombs are going to dominate the future warfare. The EMP bombs will definitely be the starting point of space war. 4. ADVANCES IN STEALTH TECHNOLOGY FOR MODERN FIGHTERS

COMBUSTION CHAMBER

RELATIVE LONG EXHAUST FLAME

SINGNIFICANT IR SIGNATURE

COMBUSTION CHAMBER

COOL AIR BYPASSING HOT CHAMBER EXHAUST FLAME SURROUNDED BY COOLER GAS

REDUCED IR SIGNATURE

The very fact that air defence systems have grown accurate and deadly, stealth technology is clearly the future of the air combat. In future, stealth technology will not only be incorporated in the fighters and bombers but also in ships, helicopters, tanks, and transport aircraft. The concept of stealth technology is not new. US has successfully developed and deployed stealth fighters like F-117, B-2 bombers during the cold wartime. The F-22 Raptor available with US is the most modern stealth fighter. The concept of stealth started very early in 19s.The initial focus in stealth aircraft was only in reduction of RCS. As time advanced, stealth technology also incorporated concepts like echo scattering, radar absorption, heat radiation reduction, turbulence reduction, etc. Russians have developed plasma stealth technology which can be termed as active

Figure 7. Concept of IR signature reduction.

Figure 8. Artists rendering of fifth-generation stealth aircraft.

stealth technology in scientific terms. The plasma stealth technology can be termed as a milestone achievement in stealth technology. In plasma stealth, the aircraft injects a stream of plasma infront of the aircraft. The plasma will cover the entire body of the fighter and will absorb most of the electromagnetic energy of the radar waves, thus making the aircraft difficult to detect. Plasma stealth is being incorporated in MiG 35 Super Fulcrum /Raptor killer being developed by Russians. The presentation also provides a glimpse on the advances made on stealth technology.
Figure 5. Scattering of radar signals using faceted surfaces.
INCOMING RADAR BEAM CARBON OR FERRITE PARTICLES RADAR ABSORBING COATING

5.

ADVANCES IN ELECTRONIC WARFARE

F-22RAPTOR.COM

Figure 6. Concept of radar absorbing materials.

Electronic warfare no doubt is the silver bullet in the hands of Air Force. The radio-frequency segment of the spectrum has traditionally been the principal battleground within which electronic warfare is waged. However, many of todays advanced military systems are utilising other segments of the spectrum. The concept of an exclusive electronic attack aircraft (suppression aircraft) is gaining momentum. The suppression aircraft will be used for radar jamming, communication jamming and information operations like signal interception. US has used EA-6B Prowler suppression aircraft in Iraq for every use, from escorting strike aircraft against heavily-defended targets during the opening days of the war, to disrupting enemy IED attacks

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BHAT : EMERGING TRENDS IN AIRBORNE DEFENCE TECHNOLOGIES

by jamming all radio signals in an area. Considering the future needs, US has launched a new programme to develop new generation suppression aircraft under the name EA18G. The suppression aircraft will play a dominant role in the future warfare scenario. The increasing need of power for the modern EW systems is revolutionising the power generation concepts. The next generation ECM pods are going to incorporate the technology of submerged ram air turbine power unit

for improved power generation. The pods like ALQ-99 uses an externally-mounted ram air turbine (RAT) which generates up to 30 KVA power. The externally-mounted RAT severely affects the field of view (FOV) for RF jamming. The submerged RAT technology being developed by US will provide unlimited field of regard for electronic jamming, will provide an improved power generation capability of 65 KVA, and will cater cooling air for a thermal load of 63 KVA. The above advances in the EW filed are covered in the paper.

Figure 9. Electromagnetic spectrum and its uses.

Figure 10. EA-6B Prowler suppression aircraft.

Figure 12. Next generation jamming pod with submerged RAT.

Figure 11. ALQ-99 with front-mounted RAT used in current suppression aircraft.

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