Starlink unwittingly helps track down stealth bombers

China reports success
Starlink: How Elon Musk unwittingly helps track down stealth bombers

Starlink rocket

Such rockets are used to bring the Starlink satellites to their destination – currently there are over 6,000 of them in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

More than 6,000 Starlink satellites are already flying around in low Earth orbit. They not only provide internet, but also military joy.

According to an almost effusive article in the “According to the South China Morning Post, a technical breakthrough has been achieved. According to the report, a “unique radar experiment” has succeeded in locating a comparatively small DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone, whose radar cross-section, i.e. the effective reflecting area, is roughly equivalent to that of a stealth aircraft, using Starlink satellites.

Starlink radar undermines previous protective measures

“The ground-based radar did not emit radio waves to create an echo, but the target appeared on the screen. This was because the drone was highlighted by electromagnetic radiation from a Starlink satellite flying over the Philippines,” it said.

This would be a real problem for the camouflage of military aircraft, because such a radar could detect objects “unaffected by the three-dimensional shape and surface material of the target,” explained one of the scientists involved.

The principle of the “Starlink radar” differs greatly from the conventional way a radar works. Usually, radar beams are emitted that bounce off objects. By evaluating the reflected beams, it is then possible to calculate what they are. Special shapes and materials are used to influence this radiation in stealth aircraft – or stealth ships. In some cases, this makes it possible to avoid detection altogether, and in some cases, the calculated result can be distorted by cleverly reflecting the beams.

Location by evaluating radio interference

A drone like the DJI mentioned above would be difficult to detect using conventional radar because its radar cross-section is too small. This can apparently be circumvented using Starlink satellites. This is because it does not measure reflections, but rather interference with the radio signals, which inevitably occurs when a flying object is within the transmission range of a satellite.

The “South China Morning Post” reports that scientists have found a way to detect these signal turbulences and interpret them using an algorithm. Just like with a radar signal, it is then possible to follow the object.

However, the current technology is not yet ready for military use, it continues. However, it can be assumed that further development will now be pushed forward following this successful test.

But the newspaper is wrong about one thing – because the “SCMP” writes that “such capabilities have not yet been demonstrated in any other country”. In fact, the Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Technology (FHR) is also researching exactly such a passive radar. Annual Report 2022 Defense Science Research of the German Ministry of Defense, one such attempt can be found, which took place at Frankfurt Airport. In a conversation with the star It was confirmed that the functionality of the company’s own passive radar is in principle identical to the Chinese project. According to the institute, other satellites, such as those of the internet provider Eutelsat, can also be used in addition to Starlink.

China is by no means alone in the development of modern radar technology. In order to protect military targets from detection in the future, conventional camouflage measures no longer seem to be sufficient.

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