Chase Plattner
Hence the name of the article, Chinese researchers are claiming that the emerging technology of Space X’s Starlink network can be used to detect some of the stealthiest aircraft within the US’s fighter fleet. It is claimed that by monitoring the interference caused by these planes is significant enough to detect these types of aircraft. This methodology was tested by using a Phantom 4 Drone, which has similar Radar Cross Sections (RCS) to that of 5th generation fighter jets. Using the Drone as a mock fighter, the disturbances generated through electromagnetic signals between the satellite and their ground stations were measured and analyzed. The test concluded that it is in fact possible that these methodologies could be used to detect objects with similar RCS signatures that are typically designed to evade traditional radar systems. It is however still extremely experimental and would still require development before becoming applicable for a full-scale military operation.
The emergence of this capability is a significant discovery which could highlight a huge global security risk if it is unable to be mitigated. Countries like the US, significantly rely on their air-dominance capabilities to remain as an authoritative figure on a militaristic global stage. With only affordable and readily available components, researchers were still able to intercept and analyze encrypted signals. This should raise concerns about the vulnerability of these satellites and the communications that could be exploited by adversaries for not only military purposes, but also espionage purposes. With the growing nature of this specific satellite network, their should be a continuous effort to analyze the security of the manipulation of these satellites to obtain signals like these. As future military technologies continue to be developed, they should now look to incorporate security measures protecting them from being detected from large satellite networks, as traditional radar avoidance continues to become a technology of the past.