Key facts
- A theoretical model suggests a missile-borne lidar system could detect F-35s up to 61.5km away at night.
- Researchers from China's air force missile supplier developed the theoretical model.
- Simulated laboratory tests showed a lightweight AI system achieved up to 97.1% accuracy in identifying F-22 and F-35 infrared signatures.
- The AI system was reduced to 16.1% of parameters used by previous methods, with computational requirements at 19.2%.
- A separate Chinese research effort developed a stratospheric airship that can detect stealth aircraft from up to 1,800 km away.
Chinese researchers have developed a theoretical model for a missile-borne lidar system that could detect and track US F-35 stealth fighters at a range of up to 61.5 kilometers, particularly under ideal nighttime conditions. This advancement, detailed in a study by a leading Chinese air force missile supplier, could have significant implications for the survivability of stealth aircraft against China's evolving missile technology.
Separately, research from the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics, and Physics (CIOMP) revealed a stratospheric airship capable of detecting stealth aircraft like the F-35 from as far as 1,800 km (1,120 miles) using infrared sensors. This airship operates at an altitude of 20 km and can remain airborne for extended periods, offering a cost-effective surveillance solution.
The missile system's AI component, designed by researchers from the Beijing Institute of Technology and China Airborne Missile Academy, achieved high accuracy in simulated tests, recognizing F-22 and F-35 infrared signatures with up to 97.1 percent accuracy. The researchers focused on creating a compact and efficient AI system suitable for the limited space and computing power available on missiles. They reduced the model's parameters and computational needs significantly, enabling it to process infrared imagery rapidly, within approximately 1.5 milliseconds during hardware testing, with low power consumption.
However, the research acknowledges limitations. The missile system's performance was based on simulated targets, and actual flight tests with real F-22 or F-35 aircraft have not been disclosed. The study also focused on close-range air-to-air missile applications and has not yet established its effectiveness against surface-to-air missile systems. The airship, while capable of long-range detection, is slow-moving at 120 km/h and large in size.