01 Nov 2006
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Now you see it, now you don't
Cloaking devices have until now been confined to the world of fantasy
Camouflage technology has taken a leap forward with the invention at the ATC of a new form of active stealth. At the flick of a switch, objects can be made to virtually disappear by matching their background.
This ground breaking research has now given the company a ten year lead in stealth technology and could redefine the world of 'low-observable' engineering.
Cloaking devices have until now been confined to the realm of fantasy. From Harry Potter's invisibility cloak to James Bond's gadget festooned Aston Martin car in the movie 'Die another Day', the idea of becoming invisible has captured the imagination of film makers and public alike. Technologists have been striving since World War II to realise this dream. First visual and later radar stealth were developed with remarkable powers to hide objects. Today, the need for 'lowobservable' craft has never been greater. As ever, the increasing demand of military planners for technology that is adaptable and reconfigurable to meet changing threats is pushing the boundaries of science and engineering.
This has led the ATC scientists to a step change in camouflage technology. New concepts based on novel materials have been realised that allow not only their colours to change but also their infra-red, microwave and radar profile to shift and merge with the background rendering them practically invisible. The effect is built into the structure itself rather than being from an add-on material such as paint or stick-on layer.
"It's something people have been trying to do for years." says Mike Dunleavy, stealth expert at the ATC. "Since the invention of radar, people have been trying to change the properties of materials to make them less noticeable to radio waves but they have usually been confined to a narrow range of materials with limited options. Our approach was different, we had the freedom to think laterally and approach the problem from an entirely new direction and come up with a completely new concept." he says.
Not surprisingly, the details of how Mike and his team achieved this are classified but other experts from within BAE Systems and the MoD who have seen demonstrations of this active stealth have been amazed: "By very far the most advanced, effective and flexible system of LO (Low Observable) technologies ever tabled." and "Nothing like this exists elsewhere." and simply, "Wow!" are some of the comments.
The research has already led to the filing of 9 patents and could provide unique solutions to signature control problems for future company products. Discussions are now underway in BAE Systems and the MoD to decide how best to capitalize on this breakthrough.
