[Exclusive] Applying ‘stealth paint’ to ‘KF-21 Boramae’
Reporter Shin, Shin | Input 2021-08-13 03:10:00
It is known that the first domestic fighter 'KF-21 Boramae', the prototype of which was unveiled in April of this year, is highly likely to have some stealth performance. Last year, the domestic stealth paint development was completed and the performance was proven, so they plan to apply it before mass production of the KF-21.
According to a related source on the 10th, the development of a paint with radio wave absorption function (RAM paint) that Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) entrusted with a research service entrusted to a private company was completed last year and its performance was recognized in the subsequent evaluation. The source said, "We are in the stage of applying (paint technology)." It is said that the performance will be verified by applying paint to the prototype in the process of developing the KF-21, which will undergo 2,200 flight tests over 4 years from July next year after ground testing.
The paint applied to the surface of the fuselage is the core technology of the stealth aircraft, along with the internal weapon window and the infrared emission suppression engine. The reason that the authorities initially started developing paints in Korea was because it was not easy to introduce them overseas due to technology leakage. Authorities believe that this domestically developed paint will greatly reduce the 'detection rate', which reduces the possibility of being detected by enemy radar.
The F-35A, a representative stealth aircraft, has a radar cross section (RCS) of 0.001 m2, the value of which the electromagnetic field emitted by the radar meets an object and returns back, and the F-22 'Raptor' reaches 0.0001 m2. It is said that these fighters are detected on the radar at the level of a 'golf ball'. Another source said, “It is not as good as the fifth-generation fighters such as the F-35A, but the detection rate will be significantly lower than that of existing air force fighters such as the KF-16. I think this will be the case.”
Although not developed as a stealth aircraft, the KF-21, which is similar in appearance to the F-22, is evaluated to have the highest specifications as a 4.5th generation fighter except for the 5th generation. The South Korean military plans to deploy 40 units by 2028 and 120 units by 2032 in total.
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올해 4월 시제1호기가 공개된 첫 국산 전투기 ‘KF-21 보라매’가 스텔스 성능을 일부 갖출 가능성이 높은 것으로 알려졌다. 지난해 국내 스텔스 도료 개발이 완료됐고 성능이 입…
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Even that no 1 design is practically ridiculous, without any real world practical application other than for extremely specialized role (such as unmanned rover)
Karya Anak Bangsa
