LOW OBSERVABLE TECHNOLOGY FOR FUTURE SURFACE COMBATANTS

The naval shipbuilding community is in the initial steps of the widesp read application of low observable technology The aerospace community has several decades of experience with the research, development, desi gn integration and production of low observable technologies into airc raft and other platforms. This paper will address the basics of radar cross section (RCS) reduction with an emphasis on their applications t o surface ships. The possibility for affordable and timely adaptations of the aerospace experience to naval shipbuilding challenges will be addressed. The basic definition and characteristics of radar scatterin g will be described along with a discussion of the benefits of reduced radar cross section. Methods for reducing RCS and budgeting for reduc tion goals will be discussed. These methods include shaping and the us e of radar absorbing materials. The proper ties of absorbing materials and their integration in composite structures will be discussed, alon g with issues of performance evaluation and design integration.