Owing to this, ground crews are required to constantly reapply radar-absorbing materials (RAM) every three weeks or so. This is time-consuming and contributes to the aircraft’s estimated $60,000 cost every flight.
Solving stealth issues with silk-weaving
In humid areas, especially tropical or coastal areas, the high humidity can impact the bonding of the RAM onto the aircraft, further compromising its performance over time.
This is not ideal, and engineers from the U.S. and China have long believed a more structural solution could be found. And that’s precisely what a team of Chinese researchers have done.
According to their paper, published in the Chinese journal Knitting Industries, the answer could lie in a dual-layer composite fabric inspired by Han Dynasty jacquard looms. This silk-weaving technique dates back to at least the 2nd century BC.