A Chinese research team has announced the development of radar technology capable of tracking up to 10 hypersonic missiles traveling at Mach 20 (20 times the speed of sound).
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), a research team led by Professor Zheng Xiaoping from the Department of Electronic Engineering at Tsinghua University developed new microwave photonic radar technology. This radar system, which boasts a detection range exceeding 372 miles (600 kilometers), was detailed in a paper published in the Chinese journal Optical Communication Technology on June 24.
The research team claims that their newly developed radar can accurately identify and track multiple hypersonic missiles flying at speeds up to Mach 20. In ground-based simulations, the radar demonstrated its capability by precisely tracking missiles moving at approximately 4.3 miles per second (7 kilometers per second) with an error margin of only 11 inches (28 centimeters). The speed estimation accuracy of the radar was reported to be as high as 99.7 percent.
Generating precise radar signals requires electrons to move extremely fast, which can potentially burn out the circuit board. The research team overcame this challenge by designing the radar to use lasers, which generate high-precision radar signals. This innovation allows information transmission between key nodes at the speed of light. It enables the radar system to create and process complex microwave signals to measure ultra-high-speed objects accurately.
The ability to intercept hypersonic missiles, which travel faster and are more maneuverable than conventional ballistic missiles, is a pressing concern for global defense. It depends on accurate detection that can match their speed and maneuverability. As a result, countries around the world are concentrating on developing compact, lightweight, high-precision radars that are suitable for deployment on anti-aircraft missiles or aircraft.
Experts suggest that if China’s recent announcement proves accurate, it could have substantial implications for the development of hypersonic weapons and defense systems worldwide.
Most Commented